


A Fractured Legacy

by Kelkat9



Series: Dark!Doctor [4]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Crossing Timelines, Dark Ten, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Humor, Pirates, Romance, Smut, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2014-09-03
Packaged: 2018-02-05 06:30:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 50,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1808737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelkat9/pseuds/Kelkat9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dark forces, old and new, are at work to destroy the happiness that the Doctor and Rose have finally achieved.  The Corsair, their oldest and dearest friend, will bear the brunt of this attack sending them off on a mission to find this enemy and save the Corsair.  This journey will take the Doctor and Rose back into the Doctor's and their joint time lines as well test new twists and turns in their relationship.  Story #4 in the Dark!Doctor verse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please note this is part of my Dark!Doctor series. I strongly encourage you not to read this without reading the other stories first. I have written references in this story to events that happened in the other three but you won't understand it if you have not read the series. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS DARK TEN AND EXPLICIT. For those who don't know what that means, you probably should not read this. My Dark Ten is emotional, possessive, jealous, can be a right git, argues with Rose, loves her passionately and will go to pretty much any extremes to keep her safe and with him. And yes, they enjoy smutty times. Both of these characters are powerful but that doesn't mean there still isn't a power struggle between them. I've had several people ask for more of this series so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I had fun writing it. Thank you so much for reading!
> 
> Big hugs and thanks yous to my beta babes Littlewhomouse and Whowhoville
> 
> All mistakes are mine though as I edited after I got back their input :)

The universe is vast, infinite and takes more than it gives. Some of its inhabitants see it in a religious context of heaven and hell and good vs evil. Others hypothesize that everything perceived is nothing but a dream. The truth is the universe is not something most creatures can comprehend. It is endless and yet definable, filled with a variety of life forms: corporeal and non-corporeal; some that are primitive and unaware of any life other their own; and others, brilliant and with vast knowledge, such as the Time Lords. Of course, Time Lords weren't the only brilliant creatures in the universe, nor the only ones who had mastered time travel or how to manipulate energy and matter for their own benefit.

If there was one truth in the universe, it was there was always one species more powerful and stronger than any that thought they were the dominant race in the universe. Creatures, such as Eternals or the Guardians of Time, were transcendental beings of pure thought and energy and they were the elders of the universe, proverbial parents overseeing the younger races. They were the ones who watched and manipulated other lower ephemeral species where and when they could. Part of this was to keep the universe in working order and prevent its destruction. Sometimes, it was for their own amusement in a chess game they played with each other to see who would win and whose ideals would reign: be it order, chaos or something in between.

There were many sentient species to choose from. The belligerent Sontarans with their warrior mentality and cloned armies always looking for glory in battle were amusing for sure; and then there were the Silurians. Oh how the Guardians had fun with those creatures, substantially altering the course of sentient life developing on the planet known as Sol 3, Earth. A few whispered suggestions about a certain celestial body hurtling toward the planet had the Silurians all in a titter causing extraordinary dissent and chaos in their civilization. Eventually, they chose for their entire civilisation to retire deep within the planet and enter a self-induced hibernation to survive the predicted cataclysm, geological upheaval caused by the Earth capturing that celestial body which the current dominant species on the planet referred to as: the Moon. Humans, they were an interesting race as well, so vibrant, alive, capable of violence, acts of profound creativity and a survival instinct unrivalled in the universe. Their domineering presence and colonization of the universe had brought about much change, sometimes chaos and sometimes order.

Perhaps Guardians' favourite creatures to influence were the Time Lords. Time Lords, with their rigid rules and emotionally repressed society, could affect serious change in the universe - and they were ripe for manipulation. A whispered word, suggestion or pointing an egotistical Lord of Time in a particular direction was all it took. Not that such eternal beings limited themselves to only the Time Lords on Gallifrey. Sometimes playing the rigid, rule following yet still corrupt members of that haughty society, against the free thinking renegades could elicit a most satisfying response.

Few even realized they were being used to implement the design of a transcendental creature with its own agenda. One of the most notable instances of eternal tinkering was Lord Omicrex, a Time Lord of great note with his eyes on the Presidency of Gallifrey, if not control of all time and space. It didn't take much to push him past his Time Lord discipline and use his excessive ego to achieve power. His tenure as an amusement was brief due to other interfering Time Lord renegades such as the Master, Mortimus, the Rani, the Corsair and the most notable of all interfering Time Lords, the Doctor.

The Doctor was well known amongst the Eternals and Guardians of Time having served them or fought against them. His arrogant and rebellious nature had rubbed many of them the wrong way and he had made enemies amongst them. Some of such higher beings enjoyed watching as he suffered through the Time War and lost his family to the Void, as the universe trembled and fell into chaos around him. Of course, he always seemed to survive and bounce back stronger, even after having things unravel around him, ripping into his timeline and soul the way his void mad family had upon their return. But for some creatures, the Doctor's pain and how he endured those harrowing consequences, even the ones that burned like acid in his memories and conscious, wasn't enough for them.

They wanted him to suffer even more. They saw the threads; the possibilities of his life that could be unravelled to cause pain were still possible and could yield even greater enjoyment for them. Unfortunately, snipping away at his life and his timeline was dangerous business. His personal timeline and that of his mate, his wolf, were woven tightly into the fabric of time around many worlds. Even the slightest whisper or prick of their time lines could cause a cascade effect throughout time and space. As much as some wanted revenge, to watch him writhe in pain and loss, no one wanted to risk the destruction of all creation. But there were always other alternatives. Sometimes the best strategy was not direct intervention but to slowly and carefully pick at the threads around him, at those that didn't tug directly but support the tapestry that was his life…

The Guardians of Time, often referred to as the Six-Fold God, were transcendental beings entrusted with keeping the universe from imploding, keeping things working so to speak. There were six individuals amongst them: White Guardian of Light and Order; Black Guardian of Darkness and Chaos; Crystal Guardian of Dream and Fantasy; Red Guardian of Justice and Truth; Azure Guardian of Equilibrium and Balance; and Gold Guardian of Life and Death. They drew their power from their corresponding elements existing in the universe and thus were always struggling to gain more power by influencing mortal beings. However, they were forbidden from taking direct action for their own benefit and maintained their own strict code of conduct on such matters. Thus, any power gained was indirect and by influence of ephemeral creatures.

In particular, there was a history between the White and Black Guardians, each believing their way was superior. White desired a universe of order whilst Black believed the best universe and the way toward its expansion and growth was through chaos. Thus the two battled each other throughout space and time - an intergalactic and trans-temporal game of chess where each would score victory and defeat, but neither gained complete dominance.

However, that balance might soon be in jeopardy. The Black Guardian was no fool and an opportunity was presenting itself to him like a brightly wrapped gift on Christmas morning. It was tantalizing in its simplicity and potential and left him a touch giddy with its far reaching possibilities. And it would all come to pass on a planet far from his usual pawns, the Time Lords. On a primitive and primordial world in a dark swirling nebula, far from most space traveling species or any creature with knowledge of time and space, a particularly dangerous and hunted renegade Time Lord had taken refuge there.

The Master, having escaped Gallifrey and imprisonment after his attempt at conquering his planet, needed a place to hide and plot his revenge. It hadn't taken much effort to escape Gallifrey or to evade those pompous Time Lords and their Celestial Intervention Agency. Gallifrey had been reeling from the Master's last little foray into domination and the following scandal involving the Time Lords that had been left to rot in the Void and escaped their imprisonment, seeking vengeance. It had provided a perfect distraction. With the CIA and Time Lord Council focused on more important matters such as protecting their own positions and defending their actions, certain renegades, like the Master, were free to make their own way, devise plans and take whatever actions they saw fit. The Master had stolen a TARDIS and paved a path of death and destruction, leaving planets in chaos as he fled Gallifrey.

At the moment, the Master was pacing on a rocky shoreline of an acid sea, fuming and muttering about a certain Time Lord and his wolf girl ruining his plans. He may have been a little fixated as the thought of how Gallifrey should have been his and how all of time and space would have fallen to their knees before him. He resented having to hide on this rocky developing world inhabited with nothing but slime and barely evolved multi-celled creatures. He paused on some cooled volcanic rock and stared off at the red sun rising over the murky acid sea.

The Black Guardian was nearby lurking in the shadows watching the Master with amusement and thinking how easily his plans were coming together. The Master desired power, control over others, making the Time Lords pay and hurting those he felt had wronged him. The Black Guardian could work with that to obtain his own goals.

The universe had been trembling from recent events, turmoil lapped at the shores of peace and tranquillity disturbing the presently existing tenuous balance. Tick, tock, the pendulum swung between chaos and order, always swaying between the two keeping balance. But, sometimes that pendulum hesitated or something caught it from swinging back. Perhaps, events unfolded to cause this slight hiccup or interfered with the ebb and flow of such things. Not, of course, that a Guardian of Time would be involved. Such things were forbidden, but if someone else interfered, an ephemeral…that wasn't the Guardians fault now was it?

The Master knew the Black Guardian was near. He sensed the presence of the eternal creature like spiders crawling on his time sense. He snorted as the dark hooded creature materialized not far from him in its long black robes, its face obscured from view. He wasn't fearful of such beings. On the contrary, he knew they regarded Time Lords as children and showed little respect for his own species; the Master had no tolerance for them. He knew they couldn't be trusted. Then again, he pondered, contemplating his own annoyingly dire situation, perhaps he could work a deal… Yes, power for a favour or two and especially when such favours involved destroying his enemies.

The Black Guardian sensed the Master's thoughts and strode forward eager to provide the Master with the vengeance he desired. He had ideas, suggestions or a postulation or two involving certain people to cause universal upheaval which the Master might consider or even wish to implement to obtain his vengeance.

"What a waste to find the brilliant and formidable Master on such a backwater planet," the Dark Guardian said in a soft purring voice. "It would appear you have encountered some difficulties of late. Such a pity for a Time Lord with such promise."

"Don't insult my intelligence you scheming black menace! You think me so easily manipulated! I am no one's pawn!" the Master snarled immediately on the defensive and looking for any weaknesses in the Guardian.

The Dark Guardian merely paced around the Master, pleased at his anger and vindictive nature. "Forgive me. I intended no insult. Quite the contrary. I have encountered few ephemerals with your talent for destruction and chaos. I am not here to torment you but to offer an opportunity."

The Master watched the Guardian, fingering his laser screwdriver whilst wondering what it would do to the Guardian. "Offer me?" he snapped. "Guardians don't offer anything for free. Your kind all have a price and your little tasks never favour the one running your errands. Why should I listen to you?"

The Black Guardian smirked now feeling even more confident as he felt the Master peering at him as if trying to see his thoughts whilst the Master's own thoughts were all too clear to the Guardian.

"Well, if you're not interested in revenge against certain Time Lords that constantly seem to ruin your plans and caused you to end up on this boring little world…" the Black Guardian drawled.

"Ha! I can get my own revenge without an interfering Guardian in the way!" The Master retorted.

"I have no doubt but how long would it take you to achieve this vengeance? What I offer you, assures you success in causing pain to the one who thwarted your plans for Gallifrey. Surely, the downfall of the Doctor is worth a few moments of your time?"

The Master licked his lips and pondered this Guardian. He still didn't trust him. "Go on," he ordered.

The Guardian almost chuckled at how easily he had seduced the Master. "The Doctor's downfall and destruction are key to your success. As you know, he is not so easy to destroy. How many have tried before you? How many times have you implemented seemingly fool proof plans to assure his downfall?"

"Yes, yes I know this already! He has a revolting ability to survive! And I would have succeeded on Gallifrey if that she bitch hadn't been there!" the Master raged.

"Ahhhh, the wolf. Yes, she has caused quite the commotion of late. She is…an unforeseen complication."

"Yes and she's powerful," the Master growled, a look of lust in his eyes.

"There are many with their eyes on that particular creature. She has a certain…value." The Black Guardian confessed, thinking about all she could and would do if the circumstances were right and he did have plans to create the perfect storm with her at its centre. After all, she was still human and humans were emotional volatile creatures. Even one such as she was disposed to anger and unleashing her power in defence of those she loved and maybe even in indulging in her own brand of vengeance which would far exceed the Master's plans.

The Master narrowed his eyes at the Black Guardian, getting a sense of his interest in the Doctor's Rose. If the Guardians were interested in her, then the Master wanted her more.

"You want the Doctor out of the way," the Master acknowledged. "Fine, I don't care what you do with him, throw him into the Eye of Harmony for all I care, but the wolf is mine!"

The Black Guardian tried to contain his glee. "Guardians cannot take direct acts against ephemerals."

"Of course you can't," the Master said sarcastically. "You want someone else to do your dirty work for you!"

"We prefer to call it affecting a few changes, making life a little easier for those who assist us with matters of a delicate nature, such as removing obstacles from the natural progression of things or those that interfere with how the universe functions."

The Master snorted. "I won't be your lackey! Besides, how many powerful beings have wanted the Doctor eliminated and how many more tried and ended up dead, in prison or worse! I won't fall on my sword for you or anyone else. I want the Doctor to suffer as he's made me suffer. I want that arrogant fool to know frustration, loss and excruciating pain," the Master said with relish, a mad light in his eyes and clenching his fist.

"And all of that can be achieved," the Black Guardian agreed. "But, as you have pointed out, none have succeeded in their attempts to defeat the Doctor. Analysis of these battles yields interesting conclusions."

The Master narrowed his eyes at the Black Guardian. "Go on, enlighten me," he snapped

The Black Guardian chuckled. "How successful has anyone's direct assault been on the Doctor and especially now he has his wolf, his Uncommon Rose, a creature not of this universe and seemingly protected by time herself? None. To put it simply - the best way to destroy him is to destroy what he cares about. To take away what he covets, rip him from his home, give him no respite, throw him into an abyss of pain and watch him fall to ruin."

The Master scowled and paced. "He cares about his wolf but she's never far from him. He keeps her close and as you so poetically said, she's not of this universe and protected by time itself."

The Guardian grew impatient. He needed the Master to figure this out on his own and that there was more than just the wolf. The foolish Time Lord needed to stop thinking so linearly. This little tête-à-tête was skirting the rules already. Much more from him and he would be instructing the Master point by point on how to proceed. It was disappointing to say the least. Still, the Black Guardian wasn't one to give up so easily and caressed the Master's time line nudging him on a darker more sinister path.

"Come now, Master, surely a malevolent and viciously brilliant creature such as you can see the answer laid out before you."

The Master whipped around in a fury. "No one knows the Doctor better than me. That pathetic, interfering moron always seems to worm his way out of everything! I'm still superior to him and I'll show everyone! He loves her and he's weak. It will destroy him." He smiled wickedly. "I'll battle him and his little consort across the universe and back again until they beg for mercy."

"Of course you will, but perhaps there is a better more satisfying way than a _direct_ assault?"

The Master circled him, not trusting this immortal creature. "Say what you mean, no games, I'm on to you and know you're kind and their reputation for treachery," the Master argued.

The Black Guardian sighed. "Tell me Master, how has the Doctor defeated you and all who attack him?"

The Master scowled. "He's stupidly fortunate and perhaps a little clever every once in a while," the Master grudgingly admitted.

"And nothing else?" The Black Guardian drawled, creeping closer to the Master and enveloping the mad Time Lord with his dark and chaotic nature.

The Master paused and turned slowly, narrowing his eyes at the Black Guardian. "He has companions, allies, disgusting friends willing to sacrifice themselves for him and his boring and idealistic attitudes. The wolf girl, Rose, she bolsters him and his power."

The Black Guardian swished by him. The scent of burning and destruction enveloped the Master and perhaps a whisper, a soft silky suggestion slithered its way around his time line into that spot of mad genius in his mind.

"The Corsair," the Master spit out as if the very name was foul and disgusting. "That half-witted interfering idiot was always off stirring up trouble."

"And," the Black Guardian prompted.

"He shows up when the Doctor needs him like some lap dog. He was there when the Doctor escaped the Time Lords who banished him to Earth and again on Gallifrey with those other narcissistic imbecile Time Lords; and then again when those void mad creatures came for the Doctor and stupidly tossed the wolf girl into the Howling."

The moment he snarled those words, a light flared in the Master's eyes. A slow sadistic smile emerged on his face and he turned to the Black guardian as the first flickers of understanding lit his mind.

"It would seem the Doctor's strength is not just his consort," The Black Guardian purred as he felt new possibilities forming, time lines shifting and the sweet reverberations of destruction and chaos stretch across the cosmos.

"No," the Master agreed, pondering and pacing. Then a dark and devious plot, a seed of evil intentions planted firmly in his mind and sprouted as plans developed and blossomed. The Doctor did indeed have many friends but none so trusted as one, the Master pondered with a smirk. Oh this was going to be too easy and fun.

The Black Guardian sensed the Master was ripe for the plucking. He leaned in and whispered to the Master, not to direct him but to offer him an opportunity, quid pro quo, a tentative alliance of sorts.

Soon the Master was laughing, the sound echoing across the planet. The Black Guardian retreated. His work there was done. Now, it was just a matter of watching things unfold and seeing to a few other tangents that had captured his attention. He could already feel it in the pulse of the universe, the beat of drums echoing of war and destruction and a Universe tilting as the pendulum stuck firmly on one side and chaos ruled.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter would not be what it is without Littlewhomouse and Whoinwhoville. I seriously suck at these types of conflict scenes so the lovely betas were extra super awesome to show me what it was missing. I admit, I rewrote it three times after they saw it so please don't blame them for any mistakes. Trust me, they helped make it so much better! Also, hugs to Ende, Cara and Left who helped me with angry mannerisms. This chapter and the next will deal with looming and children. The argument on this subject is not resolved this chapter so there is more to come in Chapt 3 :)

While the Master plotted his revenge under the influence and guidance of the Black Guardian, things had grown quite tense and tumultuous on the TARDIS. It wasn't unusual for the Doctor and Rose to argue. Disagreements were a common occurrence, although once the shouting and posturing by a certain Time Lord was over, Rose would cross her arms and look at him pointedly and he would settle down to a more reasonable grumble.

Even after all they had been through together, he was still arrogant, a touch demanding, and possessive. Rose was just as stubborn and determined to be an equal partner - not be treated like a possession. Sometimes this resulted in loud and passionate rows, which were then followed by even more passionate shagging, murmurs of I'm sorry, and reassurances of their love for one another.

Love for each other was the one thing neither doubted. There was also little doubt as to their loyalty and devotion. They shared common bonds of loss and pain, and they had overcome much adversity together. Rose had come to this universe by accident, seeking a different Doctor. But fate had a different plan and soon Rose found herself facing a new Doctor, one with a dark, passionate nature.

Love wasn't simple. It was a complicated and complex emotion that could be thrilling, painful, and fill you with fear as well as joy. The brutal reality was that Rose found herself in love with two Time Lords, the same man yet different. She couldn't understand it at first and questioned herself, but over time and through shared adversities with her new Doctor, she learned to trust what her heart was telling her.

She would always love the Doctor of her original universe, but time and the universe had deemed they part ways. Perhaps it had been no accident that she landed in this universe and met this Doctor who would capture her heart and soul; this dark angry Lord of Time who hadn't been afraid to shout, rage, and prove his passion and love for her. Like her first Doctor, he needed someone, a hand to hold. He needed her. The fate of the multiverse hung in the balance as Rose felt the tug at her heart for two Time Lords.

It was the Doctor of this universe that tipped the scales and made a decision that would reverberate in two universes. He gave Rose a choice to stay or go. It was not something he would normally do as the fear of losing her gutted him. In a short time, she had become a part of him.

Rose was not the same girl that had run off with a Time Lord so many years ago. She was older, wiser, and touched by time. In the end, she chose her Dark Doctor. It had not been easy. None of their relationship was, but to her, what they could have together was worth it. For every disagreement they had, there were twice as many passionate and quietly intimate moments. She was closer to him than anyone.

Perhaps, it was that tight bond they shared - the feeling that he was her best mate, her lover, her husband and her confidant - that was the reason why their latest argument was so painful. They had just landed on the planet Krao in the midst of a biannual battle of the sexes type festival. It was a bit ironic considering how they had already been bickering when they landed. The topic of the latest row: offspring…

A communication from Gallifrey had popped up on the view screen. Whilst the Doctor was adjusting a temporal coupling, Rose had read the message. It referred to their child, a son to be exact. A son she had no knowledge of. When she questioned the Doctor, he was typically evasive and tried to change the subject. It was clear he was stalling from the way he avoided looking at her, barked out techno babble, and insisted there was a universal calamity of great importance that needed solving and yet was too busy to explain what that calamity was.

If there was one thing Rose hated, it was when he purposefully and obviously avoided telling her some important detail. She was all too familiar with his "I am the important Time Lord and you don't need to know this" attitude. Few things made her as angry. It was a powder keg of emotion that was about to be set off.

After a few burnt fingers from the TARDIS and a sudden stall in the Vortex the TARDIS made at the request of Rose, he finally confessed he had made a quick trip back to Gallifrey without telling her and worse, used her DNA to loom an offspring.

Rose knew about looming and how it was the process most Time Lords used to reproduce. It was a clinical and emotionally detached way to combine preferred genetic material to produce a child with desired traits. This was all done in specialized facilities on Gallifrey in accordance with whatever each House demanded. There was no pregnancy or messy birth involved. It was a simple way to maintain genetic superiority and regulate the population.

After the Time War, the Master's assault on Gallifrey, and the Doctor's Void mad family's attack and then subsequent destruction, many Time Lords and Ladies perished, prompting the need to loom their replacements.

Rose remembered sitting in the alien saloon, the Black Balhoon, with the Doctor and the Corsair as it was revealed that Doctor had promised President Romana a favour in exchange for her help in getting Rose back from across the Void. That favour was a command that the Doctor repopulate his decimated House. He had fussed and fumed, squirming as he stated his displeasure at this mandate. Of course, before they could get into the details, they were interrupted by a matter of pirates and bar room brawling; and after that, he avoided the subject.

Rose should have known better than to think the topic would be raised whenever they were required to return to Gallifrey. He'd been far too quiet on the matter. Now, the truth was revealed as she learned how he took samples of her DNA and made a secret trip back to Gallifrey to get the family loom up and running for what he called _a little test run_. She listened quietly, sitting on the pilot seat, tapping her fingers on her thigh, fury filling her as he babbled on about how it had been nothing worth bothering her about, and how he didn't expect much of the first one, her genetics being all dodgy. This did not earn him bonus points.

When he paused, leaning against the console and tugging at his hair nervously, Rose couldn't stay silent any longer.

She jumped up and paced toward him. "So you went and did this looming thing without me? Without asking me?" she asked, her eyes trained on him as if she expected him to try and escape her demand for an explanation "You took my DNA and did this…something this important and intimate that I should have been a part of…without talking to me and giving me a say?" she continued in a tight angry voice.

He rolled his eyes. "It's just an offspring, Rose, a little piece of you and me to fulfil our duties to my House, Gallifrey, and those pompous arses in the Council. It's not like I wanted to!" he explained, leaning back against the console, his arms crossed defensively. "Romana made me promise!"

Rose shot forward and poked him in the chest. "Not a big deal!" she exploded unable to quietly take his pompous attitude and disregard for her feelings. "It's a kid! And what about rearing, caring, and teaching him?" she demanded, now gesturing in the air with her hands for emphasis. It wasn't as if she had a huge maternal instinct, but she knew enough to be a responsible parent. "You should have talked to me about this first."

He huffed and sighed. "It's not like humans. It's looming. Submit genetic samples, program what you want annnd whammo!" he cried out, slapping the side of console with his hand in emphasis, "instant offspring. I even made sure the offspring was Academy ready," he bragged, looking proud of himself.

Rose almost growled at his flippant attitude and began pacing. "And what about us? What about what we believe. You don't even like most Time Lords, yet you're just gonna pop out a kid and hand him over to them? What about what we could teach him and how we could show him the universe and make him better?"

The Doctor winced. He understood what she was saying and on some level he agreed with her, but he wasn't exactly ready for that. He was still enjoying having Rose all to himself…and there was the small matter that he was sure Romana did not intend for him to create a new House filled with renegades. She wanted nice, orderly, brilliant Time Lords to fill in the gaps and give the old stodgy crowd a shove. Maybe even change a few things.

When the Doctor looked at Rose, he could see that such logic would not satisfy her. "Rose, it's not like you're thinking," he said with a long suffering tone. "We can take the offspring off to do that later after he's broken in and figured things out."

"And how will he figure it out without parents?" she shot back, storming over to him again.

The Doctor's patience at her pursuit of this topic was wearing thin. He shot forward, looming over her. "You want to see him, is that it? This is some humany thing?" he asked sneered.

Rose flexed her fingers, ready to slap that arrogant and condescending attitude off his face.

The Doctor felt the tension in the room thicken and her emotions ready to boil over through their bond. At that point, he was irritated too and wanted nothing more than to just end the discussion and take them someplace distracting where she could calm down and he could set the matter aside in favour of some good old fashioned world rescuing but he could see that wasn't likely to happen. He was going to be forced to respond to her and settle this whole unhappy affair.

"Fine!" he snapped, turning away from her, walking to the console and running his hand along the edge. "I'll talk to Romana about special dispensation to visit. We are still banished you know," he shot over his shoulder.

"Yeah, but you still found a way to nip back and pop out a kid didn't ya?" she smarted back.

He whipped around, his gray coat, flaring around him. "That was different! It was at the order of the President."

Pacing back and forth, Rose snorted and then suddenly paused. She slowly turned back to him. "Did you meet him after he was loomed? Or did you just put in the order with some Looming Agent and then leave?" she asked.

"Of course I was there! You think I'd trust that lot not to muck it up? Blimey Rose!" he retorted, running a hand through his hair. "And yes, everything was fine. The little time tot popped out healthy, with a bit of an attitude, and a lot of his mother's smart mouth, if you must know."

"Offspring!" he exclaimed with a glower, and flipped a switch on the console with a bit too much vigour. "Sarcastic little buggers, never appreciating anything. I gave him his family name, patted him on the head, told him to not blow up the Academy and we'd see him soon. Then I sent him off to the Untempered Schism, where I'm told, he followed in his good old Dad's footsteps and hauled arse away. At least it shows he's got some sense." he muttered to himself.

Rose stared at him, suddenly realizing he loomed not just an infant but a child old enough to attend the stodgy Time Lord Academy. "You did this, saw him and…oh my God, you named him and never said anything!" she shouted, running her hands through her hair, in shock and frustration. A few tears pricked her eyes at this - that the Doctor had done all of this without her. Her arms dropped to her side as she felt the full impact of what he'd done. "What's his name then?" she asked in a quiet voice, unable to even look at the Doctor.

"Oh no, don't you go getting attached," he warned, shaking his head. "You don't know Gallifreyan offspring like I do. We are not a friendly, snuggly bunch. He's more likely to insult you and tell you you're inferior than he is to call you Mum and be all…you know humany and snuggly."

Rose's head shot up and she stormed up to him. "I don't care. He's my son and you're gonna tell me his name!"

The Doctor turned away and ignored her, pressing levers and punching buttons until the TARDIS took Rose's side and burnt him a few times. "Fine!" he said, glaring up at the Time Rotor. "He's just…Tyler. Happy now?" he shouted without looking at her.

Rose felt emotions welling up inside of her at hearing the name the Doctor had given their child. She was too angry, hurt, and a bit touched at the name to talk to him. So, she turned and left the room. The Doctor cursed and kicked the console; the TARDIS promptly hurled them to their destination without any more input as both her occupants dealt with their own inner turmoil.

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The Corsair was lounging in one of his favourite places and times, The Volkan Saloon on a moon in the Kehti nebula in Eight Four Epsilon Sixty Four Orange. A Plurrg, a bipedal frog like species with mottled green and black skin, was yodelling out _An Ode to Klom_ to much applause, and the encouragement of the mix of Raxicorafallapatoriains, and the various other species. The Corsair, his current incarnation resembling a certain raven haired, blue eyed conman favoured by one Rose Tyler, was sitting in the rafters with a bottle of finely aged Praeterian Whiskey. He lounged back against one of the rafters in his royal blue hip length coat, ruffled white shirt and black breeches - the epitome of space pirate fashion in his mind.

He sipped his whiskey, his mind whirling with a variety of thoughts: where to find a new temporal regulator; the merits of liberating the Draconian Poet, Zanthe, who was unfortunately set to be executed for his erotic references to the Dracos Prime Dictator's wife; the latest chess move sent to him by the Doctor and how he would trounce him; along with solving the Taqui conundrum.

Whilst in the midst of all of these important thoughts, a niggling feeling, a vibration in his time sense began to distract him. His brow furrowed and he shifted, his feet dangling down as the Plurrg singer hit a particularly high note. The Corsair winced, gasping and felt the equivalent of nails across a chalk board scraping along his time line.

"No," he gasped as pain unlike anything he felt gripped him. He dropped the bottle of whiskey, which went crashing down into the crowd below. It was soon followed by the Corsair, screaming in pain and gripping his head. He landed on an inebriated and unhappy Crespallion. Writhing in pain and moaning, he was almost unaware of the brawl he started. Soon bottles and glasses were being hurled across the room as the singer ducked off stage. Annoyed and drunken aliens roughly grabbed him and tossed his writhing body across the saloon. He soon found himself flying through the double acrylic saloon doors and landing in the muddy, cold street with people kicking and stomping on him.

The pain ebbed enough for him to crawl out of the way of the rowdy pedestrians. He leaned against the side of one of the corroded metal buildings. His vision blurred as he looked around the dark street lit only by primitive oil lamps. The smell of unwashed aliens and excrement surrounded him. He couldn't focus and was losing not just his sense of time but of space as well. He squeezed his eyes shut and wondered where he was. He should know that.

A wave of nausea assaulted him and he lost the contents of his stomach. Something was wrong but what? Again, he wondered where he was. What he was doing there? Something caught his attention just at the periphery of his senses, but he couldn't understand it. He crawled slowly through the crowd, his clothes coated in the foul smelling mud, as he was shoved and kicked by growling and cursing pedestrians. Something told him this was not a good place to be ill.

He paused, his fingers clawing at the mud and his eyes squeezed shut as another wave of pain coursed through him. Panting, he crawled further until he bumped into a street lamp. He leaned against it, the cool metal feeling comforting to his throbbing head. It was like someone was playing a Sontaran death march on his brain. He clung to the lamp post when suddenly he wasn't on the street. He opened his eyes to find himself half inside something, lying on a metal floor, a ramp of some sort. He lifted his head up.

"TARDIS," he whispered and pulled himself inside.

He lay before his polished wooden and brass console, looking up with bleary, unfocused eyes. He could feel his time ship at the periphery of his mind but couldn't focus on her.

"Doctor," he mumbled. "I need…a…a doctor."

Somewhere in his mind, something clicked. Maybe, it was his ship making a push to reach him. He sat up.

"Emergency Program Doctor," he gasped before losing consciousness, his head falling with a thump to the floor. His TARDIS activated; the sound of the ocean and seagulls filled the console room as it dematerialized in pulsing lights of blue and green, disappearing into the Vortex, destination unknown.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I think content might bother people or annoy the reader, I like to give a heads up. This chapter discusses an alien battle of the sexes - male vs female. I know there are many variations of how people identify their sexual orientation but that's not the focus of this story and quite frankly I tend not to think in labels so I prefer not to address the complex issue of asexual, sexual and how one identifies one's self and one's sexual orientation in this particular story. So if the simplistic male vs female concept is offensive to you, you may want to skip this. Also, this includes a discussion of Rose's thoughts on children and how she reached her conclusion on wanting or not wanting them. Rose might have a very different perspective. This is not a babyfic or kidfic although there was a child loomed. Hopefully, a few people will still read this as I worked very very hard to get this chapter to the point it's at. Big hugs of gratitude to my beta, Littlewhomouse who was so patient and helped me work through some of the show vs tell issues.

Rose wasn't speaking to him. He could feel her hurt and anger through their bond. As rows went, it wasn't the most serious disagreement they'd had, but she was annoyed at him and he resented that she made him feel just the tiniest amount of guilt. Not, of course, that he would admit that – especially considering where and when they were.

During the time period in which they landed, Krao was a peaceful planet. Well, peaceful except for their battle of the sexes festival used to determine who would rule their planet (males or females) for the next two years.

Rose had been the first out the TARDIS doors, eager to get away from him. The Doctor glowered. He didn't like it when she insisted on stepping out first as she had a propensity for trouble, as in trouble seemed to find her. If they were on better terms, he would have reminded her of that fact.

Instead, he grabbed his long grey coat and stormed after her. He watched her walk stiffly down the pink bricked road lined with palm trees. Her arms were wrapped around herself and she was staring forward. With a heavy, put upon sigh, he walked next to her, neither saying a word.

Rose didn't even make a comment about the quaint adobe houses with fuchsia tiled roofs they passed or how the streets and homes were decorated with garlands of colourful flowers. Normally, she would have been cuddled into his side, delighting at the sights: the vendors selling wares from their carts; and the lilac skinned villagers with their golden, red and ginger coloured hair, wearing a rainbow of coloured sarongs, singing and dancing in the street.

Eventually, she relaxed and began to mingle with the vendors and people singing and playing drums and guitars. The Doctor watched her grace them with her smiles and compliments whilst he stood off to the side, ignored. His trainers scuffed against the brick road as he shifted from foot to foot, sighing and fidgeting in annoyance at being so neglected.

He listened as she struck up a conversation with one of the Kraon females wearing a more elaborate yellow sarong and plumes of purple feathers in her long braided ginger hair. In what he liked to think of as her typical _humany_ moral fashion, Rose questioned the Kraon lady regarding why they had to choose only one sex to lead them, to be dominant. The Doctor stood off to the side, rolling his eyes, sighing and grumbling under his breath about different moralities.

Before he could begin what was sure to be an arrogant and information filled ramble on this planet's social structure, the Kraon woman wrapped her arm through Rose's and led her away, ignoring the Doctor's indignant expression and gaping mouth. He heard bits and pieces of the woman's explanation involving equality, harmonious relationships, and how she was sure being from Earth, Rose understood how necessary it was to have balance between the sexes and the opportunity for their world to reflect varying opinions and ideals.

Without a backward glance at him, Rose walked off chatting with the knowledgeable Kraon woman, leaving the Doctor on his own. He jammed his hands in the pockets of his coat and stomped off, making his way through the crowds with a dark look on his face. He was definitely not thinking about how Rose should be with him so he could impress her with his knowledge of this culture and show her its brilliant sights. Nor was he stewing over their prior argument or his traitorous TARDIS that landed them on Krao at this particular time. And, even if Rose accused him of it later on, he was not sulking!

He continued his definitely not sullen march through the village, stopping occasionally to peer at various vendor wares and automatically reaching for Rose's hand which wasn't there. This planet had not improved his mood or solved his Rose dilemma. He bored quickly and decided enough was enough. He focused on Rose and tracked her down to a dais near the ocean where she was gesturing and laughing with her new Kraon friend.

As he reached the dais, he caught bits of a conversation that made him groan with dread. He realized he should have expected things to go pear shaped once she'd wandered off with the locals. Rose had, with a bit too much enthusiasm in his opinion, volunteered them to assist in the Kraon ceremony. _Assist_ soon turned into Rose leading the women whilst he led the men in a boat race that would determine which sex would be responsible for governing the planet.

As political systems went, this was certainly not the most sophisticated method for determining who should govern, but it was hardly the bloodshed and destruction that often prefaced change in other worlds. The Doctor grumbled about interfering and complained to Rose about leaving the Kraons to determine their own fate.

Rose looked at him with a challenging glimmer in her eyes. "You afraid of losing?" she taunted with that slight smile that showed just the bit of her tongue even if her eyes still didn't reflect happiness or affection for him.

Seeing that slight smirk and tilt of her chin was all it took to fire up his competitive streak. He swaggered up to her. "Hardly. In fact, I don't think you realize who you just challenged." He leaned in close to her ear. "Lord of Time," he enunciated. "Superior species in all ways." Looking over at the primitive sail boats that would be used in this challenge, he laughed. "Too easy."

Rose crossed her arms. "Oh yeah, then I guess you wouldn't be interested in a little wager then?" she asked, knowing he couldn't resist.

He chuckled and looked down at her, enjoying this banter as well as the increased sexual tension between them. That was the thing about their telepathic bond; strong emotions would flared between them like a raging plasma storm and right now both of them were on an emotional high from anger, love and hurt.

Then there was that undefinable chemistry between them – the accidental bump of warm skin; the scent of that soap they used when they showered together before their row; the dart of a tongue to moisten dry lips; and a dark provocative gaze mixed with a tilt of a chin exposing a neck that had been marked by teeth and tongue the previous day. They were both still angry with each other, but that anger had translated into a heat that now drove them to engage in this battle that was not as much about the Kraons as it was about them.

"Wager accepted and to the victor goes the spoils and by spoils I mean of the vigorous naked variety. Including a moratorium on any looming discussions for at least one standard Earth year." he said with an arrogant confidence as he rocked back onto his heals.

Rose stood before him, arms still crossed, her whiskey coloured eyes looking him up and down as if assessing him. "And if I win, you have to promise to explain to me all that looming business in detail, introduce me to Tyler, and promise there won't be any more looming without my express permission and consent! Along with breakfast in bed for a week," she added as an afterthought.

He growled out his agreement and then stormed off to choose his crew, assessing them on physical strength, durability and sailing skill.

The boat to be used in this race was more a catamaran type vessel. It was sixty feet in length and constructed from local cork trees, bamboo, and silk from a local spider known for its strength and durability.

With their teams organised, they launched into the violet waters of the Kraon sea and engaged in navigating the agreed upon course.

The Doctor stood on the stern of the boat, taking off his jacket and rolling up his shirtsleeves; his tie and coat long since tossed aside under the heat of the relentless pink sun. He rested one trainer clad foot on the railing of the boat as it bobbed up and down in the water. A breeze ruffled his hair as he scanned the choppy water assessing the currents, salinity and buoyancy and how that would affect his boat's ability to navigate the water. The sound of his men shouting to one another as they moved around the boat, reminded him of the task at hand. He turned and watched his crew, pondering the ocean conditions and devising a strategy to ensure their victory.

Meanwhile, his ten crewmen, their lilac skin turning a deeper shade in the sun, a stark contrast against the light colour of the boat, were filled with enthusiasm regarding the race, shouting out songs about the sea, joy, women, and living a free life. What they lacked in skill, they made up for in strength and endurance as they manipulated the sails and leapt to one side of the boat or another to shift the balance of weight to make sharp turns in an attempt to catch the wind. The Doctor shouted out orders, licking his finger and sticking it up in the wind, gazing at the clouds and the waves, which were only just beginning to become an increasing swell.

Rose's vessel was in the lead. The Doctor rubbed his face, smirking slightly. He enjoyed a good chase, but he was confident this wouldn't be much of a challenge. After all, he had centuries of knowledge on Rose and this wasn't his first time sailing. Victory would be sweet in more ways than one and he was looking forward using this experience to finally put to rest the conflict that was still festering between him and his Uncommon Rose.

He barked out an order at his crew and the white sails snapped full of the wind and the boat flew over the waves. An arrogant smile lit his face as his boat caught up with the women and the vessels were side by side, skimming the waves, sea spray coating the sailors and boats in a cooling mist.

He watched as Rose stood proudly leading her crew. She was dressed casually in white shorts and a green bikini top she borrowed from one of the locals; her golden hair whipped about her face as she smiled broadly at him. If he hadn't been brimming with irritation at her lead, he would have paused to admire her long tanned legs and the amount of cleavage revealed by the skimpy green bikini top.

"Come on! Put your backs into it!" the Doctor shouted. "You don't want to be beaten by a bunch of bikini clad emotional pretty girls with trust issues, do you?" he shouted, looking over at her with an arrogant Time Lord tilt to his chin.

Rose glared at him. "Oi! Come on ladies! Don't let those cocky, arrogant head up their arse blokes get a leg up on us!" she shouted and then said a softer order to one of her crew who laughed and blew a kiss at the men. Then the women began to chant as they gracefully leapt across the boat working lines and sales like a ballet, their boat gaining speed and eventually turning toward the Doctor's boat, which was just a nose ahead. At that moment, the Doctor realized how competitive his Rose was.

Her boat closed in on his; the water between them narrowing as she prepared to push her boat against his starboard side. .

"Evasive manoeuvres!" he shouted, their boat barely avoiding a collision. Unfortunately, this also resulted in losing the wind and Rose's boat gaining the lead. There was much high fiving on her boat whilst the Doctor, muttering curses, gripped some of the ropes swinging free from his sails as his boat listed in the surf.

He glanced over at Rose's boat, slicing through the waves as it took the lead, the sound of celebrating women an annoying echo on the water. He dropped to the deck of his boat and paced, kicking at a coil of ropes in his way before shoving his hands in his pockets. It was clear to him that his minor domestic dispute with Rose was nowhere near settled and she was determined to drag things on. It fuelled his anger, which he then directed at his crew.

He grabbed a rope and swung over to help with the sails and bellowed more orders. Once they were on their way again, he couldn't help but think about Rose. "Why is she making such a big deal out of this? Haven't we been through far more serious matters?" he stewed, contemplating her actions as a manifestation of her anger with him from their prior row.

For the most part, after the traumatic conflict with his family and their emotional trip through the Void, they had found a certain peace between them. She had chosen him over her original Doctor, and the matter of his family, the guilt he had harboured, was at least out in the open - no longer a festering wound he buried deep inside himself.

Rose had been there when the twisted and venomous version of his Gallifreyan spouse and family had escaped the Void and sought their revenge on him. It was a thing he had never wanted to share with her and yet now, she had a better grasp of his pain, the darkness that lay within him and from whence it came. She was there to light the way, soothe the hurt, and he was grateful for that… for her. There wasn't much he wouldn't do for her. Yet still, despite this new understanding and intimacy in their relationship, they had their moments of conflict.

She was magnificent in her passionate outbursts even when it annoyed him and prickled at his Time Lord ego. Oh they rowed, debated and had magnificent shouting matches, but in the end, nothing was greater than their deep seeded love and respect for one another. At least, he had thought so. Now he wasn't so sure and that stuck him like a dagger to his hearts.

Anger and resentment welled up within him as he tied a knot on a rope with a bit too much vigour. As the coarse rope slide through his fingers, he looked out at the ocean, his eyes dark and stormy as if his very mood would leech into the atmosphere and stir up a physical manifestation of his anger.

This race and her unreasonable attitude toward something that was, in his mind, a petty matter, needed resolving and to be concluded to his ultimate satisfaction. He smirked as he considered what winning this race would mean, his mind racing over a dozen different scenarios for how he would enjoy his victory with her: half of them involved nudity, leather straps and a certain banana flavoured tattoo she bore on her hip. He dropped the rope and paced, shouting out a few more orders to his crew and eyeing the sails, his mind quickly developing plans and alternatives to achieve his ultimate goal.

His first priority was whipping his crew into shape. Shouting, directing and hurling insults were his tools whilst mentally gaging the current, wave height, water density, direction and wind speed along with anticipating what his opponent would try next. The sails snapped in the breeze. The Doctor uttered a satisfied and determined growl as the boat flew across the waves, sea spray showering him and his crew. He whipped his damp hair off his forehead and continued on, determined to win this and put an end to this argument.

His confidence grew and a haughty smirk lit his face. It wouldn't be long now! Then he saw Rose's vessel. Her all female crew was singing, laughing and working in rhythm as they worked the sails. The Doctor's vessel was gaining on them.

He scowled as Rose looked back at him, with a huge tongue teasing grin on her face as if she wasn't the least bit threatened by his vessel and frankly magnificent captaining abilities. He felt her confidence and satisfaction at besting him mixed with a "serves you right you arrogant git," thought passing along their bond and directed squarely at him.

It annoyed him, but it also struck that deep chord within him and memories of far more intimate battles bubbled up. His skin flushed as heat shot straight through him. He reached for some ropes and gripped them as his eyes fluttered shut for a moment; his head filled with lustful visions of the two of them tangled up together, shagging in a steam filled shower, him pressing her back against the cool tiled wall, her leg wrapping around him as jets of water pounded against them. He inhaled deeply at the memory, his eyes opening, sparking with his own lust as he imagined showing _her_ who the winner was in this competition.

Suddenly the winds changed. He growled in frustration as they lost the breeze and adjusted the sails until they were full and stretched out to capacity. His boat gained speed, slicing through the surf and soon he was within shouting distance. The taunts about how superior intellect and science would persevere burst forth from him as if they had a will of their own.

Rose shot him an obscene hand gesture.

It was touch and go with his boat gaining and passing Rose, and then Rose overtaking him. It looked like it would be something akin to a photo finish until the last minute when the women had the good fortune to catch a wave that catapulted them over the finish line.

The men were disappointed but not for long as the celebration festivities commenced with great joy and abandon. Wine and food flowed in abundance and no one had hard feelings. There was dancing and singing and toasts for prosperity and peace. Everyone was celebrating except perhaps for a certain Time Lord, who was scowling under the shade of a tree and digging the toes of his trainers into the sand. He didn't enjoy losing, especially when he had his hearts set on a nice victory shag.

Rose appeared in her shorts and bikini top, carrying a coconut shaped glass with a straw. "Banana daiquiri for your thoughts?" she asked with cheek.

He sighed and mumbled a thank you. She leaned on the tree next to him and bumped his shoulder.

"I'm still mad at you, ya know," she said, not sounding it.

He rolled his eyes and sipped his drink, smacking his lips in appreciation for the creamy mixture and ignoring her.

"Oh come on, Doctor, it's just a boat race."

She grew quiet and neither spoke for a while, leaning against the tree as a tropical breeze cooled their damp sea sprayed skin. Uncomfortable, he shifted and wiggled around. He hated silence. Finally she spoke, still staring off in the distance.

"It's not about me wanting a kid you know. It's about you going off without me. After everything we've been through, I thought we were together, yeah? I mean, if we were at war with Gallifrey or fighting off hordes of space vampires, you'd tell me stuff and have me with you, but not for something as personal as a kid? Even if he was loomed, this boy came from us, is a part of us. It makes me feel like…"

He looked at her and she turned to him, sadness and pain reflected in her eyes. "Like you still aren't letting me in. That you want me to give you everything, but you still hold back. Haven't I shown you how much I love you, will always choose you, stand by you? I've faced off so much with you, by your side. I can endure anything as long as I have you. And yet this…"

"Rose," he began with a slight whinge to his voice, "it wasn't like that." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair and looked at the drink in his hand.

"I don't mean to shut you out. I've been on my own for centuries, relying on myself. Even when I had relatives on Gallifrey, it wasn't like your Earth family. They were there and my responsibility and most of the time I ran from them. I…felt them, accepted them, but I needed to run, explore and was never…" He paused, walked forward a few steps and then turned to her. "You're different."

His voice took on harder tone. "I've already explained all this to you. You mean more to me than anyone. You're a part of me. And you know how I am!" he accused. He set his drink down on a stump and started pacing and gesturing with his hands. "The looming thing, it wasn't what you think. I just did it. I didn't even know if it would work or what the product of our combined genetic material would be. I certainly wasn't going to…"

"What?" she demanded.

"It could have been a mutated thing, a monster," he answered with a cold dark look. "It would've hurt you to see that. You may not be entirely human, but your heart is. I know you still mourn your family. On Earth that was clear," he snipped. "You never said you wanted offspring, but to see some living representation of us gone wrong, I knew it would hurt you. I was protecting you!"

"But that's not all is it?" She asked with a low growl, still not buying into his declaration of protecting her. And even that was an insult to her. She'd dealt with loss and seeing horrific things and she'd done all right. She resented his assertion that she couldn't handle the potential for a genetic mishap with their child. It just screamed mistrust to her as well as a lack of respect for who she was as a person and a partner.

"Fine, I didn't want to lose you to some misplaced parental feeling of obligation! The offspring is Gallifreyan. Tradition dictates…"

"Bugger tradition, this is us!" she shouted, stepping away from the tree she had been propped up against. "And for the record, I never thought about kids with you because it didn't seem in the cards, all right? I didn't think we could and then there's the traveling and you know what, I was okay with that!" she shouted at him.

It was the truth. The first time she travelled with her first Doctor, she had dismissed the thought of children. She loved traveling and the freedom to explore the universe and children would have impacted that freedom. Later, after suffering from the loss of her brown pinstriped Doctor, she had thought about it…wondered what it would have been like to see a miniature version of him running about the TARDIS. But then the stars were going out and she didn't have time for fantasies or dreaming of a family that she probably couldn't have.

After spending time with this Doctor - growing and learning who she was and who she could be; thinking about her duplicate, the clone of her this Doctor had made and sent back to Pete's World in her place, one who would have a human version of her original Doctor and would grow a family with him- she'd found a certain peace.

She'd realized this universe and this Doctor had provided her with a new life, new opportunities. She shed some of the Earth traditions she was raised with and embraced the thought that she could do more, be more. Her children were the people she helped and the worlds she saved. Her legacy was the lives she touched. They had never discussed it but then talking about things was not their strong suit. Still, she was bonded to him in the most intimate of ways. How could he not know how she felt?

The Doctor paced back and forth, his itch to run was strong. He was irritated and aggravated and not wanting to have this discussion. Rose had said she wasn't feeling a maternal tug and part of him felt the truth in her words, but another part of him couldn't help but think, "But she's human and humans have a strong urge to reproduce." Still, she was his Uncommon Rose and if she had proved anything, it was that she couldn't be judged by standard human morals and behaviours.

But now she knew they had a living breathing offspring, a person, a Gallifreyan and he knew that changed things. She said she didn't want children but…

He looked at her, his gaze piercing, feeling her tumultuous emotions and not knowing how to interpret them.

"You didn't think before. But what about now?" he asked, his eyes dark and reflecting a touch of fear as his body stilled, preparing for the worst.

She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself, looking lost and lonely standing surrounded by tropical trees as he stood tall and looming before her. "I don't know. It's all so confusing. I mean, this boy Tyler, he's part of us and yet you left him with those stuffy Time Lord wankers. How could you do that? I mean he's part of us!" she emphasized again before continuing.

"It's not like I've ever been keen on changing nappies. But knowing there's a piece of me and you out there and I've not seen him or know that he's okay, it hurts and it hurts more that you hid him from me like I'm not entitled to know. You cut me out of something personal. She paced a few steps and turned to face him again.

"I need to at least see him and know he's gonna be all right and if he's not, we need to get him away, show him the universe and let him make up his own mind. He deserves to have what you gave me or other you or whatever," she finished and leaned back against the tree again, tears in her eyes as she alternated between angry and sad.

The Doctor stared at her as comprehension dawned. It wasn't exactly like she was alleging that he was thrusting this child at his enemies like some sort of sacrifice and coldly used her genetics for something sinister. None of this was intended to hurt her. To him, it was another task to complete so he'd done it. No muss no fuss. He owed Romana a favour. She wanted him to rebuild his house, inject a little new blood into the old stale and lofty halls of the Time Lord civilization. He could do that and it would happen with a bit of his Rose.

He couldn't deny a tiny satisfaction in mixing in a bit of his Bad Wolf, his Uncommon Rose with his frankly magnificent genetic material and giving his people the proverbial obscene salute. But he hadn't been lying. He had wanted to protect her and their lives from the changes he feared such an offspring could bring. His intention had always been to fulfil his duty whilst keeping Rose safely away from anything Gallifrey related, especially something like this.

Now though, he could see that she reacted emotionally instead of analytically like he did. It drove him a bit spare, how emotional she could be, but it was also a quality he loved about her. Even if he hated when she cried.

He walked over to her, leaning against the tree, watching as tears glistened in her eyes and she turned her head away, reaching up to wipe at her eyes. He sighed and looked skyward. "I'm so going to regret this," he muttered before looking over at her. "Fine. I'll see what can be done about some sort of brief meeting," he huffed.

Rose smiled softly and sniffed. "And?"

He groaned. "Rose, really."

She pinched his arm.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, rubbing his arm. "Violence is not necessary. Unless, you know, it leads to you and me doing…things. As in naked things," he growled, a darkening look in his eyes as he took in her sun kissed skin and the green bikini top, his mind wandering to the ideas he'd had on the boat, ideas that did not include discussing offspring or worse - feelings.

She cocked her hip out and crossed her arms. "Not until you promise that if this looming thing happens again, I get to be there with you. That you don't go off on your own and do it without me."

He scowled and spun around and began his typical angry pacing. "All right, but there are conditions!" he announced with a haughty Time Lord glare.

"Such as?" she asked, tilting her chin up in stubborn defiance.

"One, Romana has to authorize you being on Gallifrey to attend the House looming. Two, you have to listen to me and if I declare a genetic or biologic disaster, no questions asked you are to leave. And three, it is to be understood that our offspring are to be educated in the Time Lord tradition.

"They will be tested and if accepted, attend the academy. This is the goal - what Romana needs from us. She knows that if our race is to survive, we cannot stay the same. Traditions remind us where we came from, but to maintain our place in the cosmos, we need innovation, that spark of creativity and a brilliance that comes from the young. And honestly, from you and I. This isn't about us procreating. This is about giving the universe a part of us to live on when we are gone. I need you to understand this."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, huge big thank you to Littlewhomouse! I cannot tell you how much patience she has when I get gummed up and over think stuff or over work it. I am the queen of over revising so all mistakes are mine.
> 
> This chapter is NSFW

_"This isn't about us procreating. This is about giving the universe a part of us to live on when we are gone. I need you to understand this."_

Rose stood quietly beneath the swaying palm trees of Krao, fighting off tears as she and the Doctor talked, argued, shouted and generally ripped into each other over the volatile subject of looming. She watched the Doctor pace in frustration, gesturing with his hands as he vented and complained until eventually he made his way over to her, stilling and sighing.

He stood stiffly beside her as he launched into what she liked to think of as _Time Lord Lecture Mode_. Even with his hard tone and serious dark gaze directed at her, she could see the core of this argument went deeper, even if he didn't want to admit it. Part of her still rankled at being treated like some over emotional human as if she couldn't understand some lofty Time Lord idea.

She did understand but that didn't mean she'd take a back seat in his obligation to loom replacements for his House. She might not know all the science of looming but her DNA was used to create their child, Tyler, and would be used in any potential future children. Whether or not the Doctor or those Time Lords liked it, she was the Mum and she had a say.

She would be damned if she'd allow a bunch of stick up their arse Time Lords to warp her offspring. She just wanted to make sure any such offspring didn't grow up emotionally repressed. He was right, these kids would be their legacy and by god, they would have a good bit of old fashioned human wanderlust and curiosity along with an understanding of what it meant to be human. That's what she would give them.

As she stood quietly, her eyes focused on him posturing, lecturing and being all _I am the superior Time Lord_ , she knew there was only one way to accomplish her goal with certainty. She would have to do what she always did with him. Nod her head and assure him she wouldn't wander off, would listen to him etc. and then do what she wanted and cajole him with a few careful tongue teasing smiles and a bit of shagging until he gave into her way. It wasn't like he didn't use similar methods on her.

A slow smile lit her face as she remembered a particularly passionate argument on the planet Epony. The Epony regent had insulted the Doctor. The Doctor had responded in a likewise manner, hurling insults at the pompous regent. Just as the regent's guard approached to take them away, there was an alien invasion. The regent was forced to ask them for help and Rose insisted they would do all they could. The Doctor scowled but reluctantly agreed.

Afterwards, a party was held in their honour for saving the planet, a party Rose wanted to attend. The Doctor did not.

He wanted her…bound, restrained, and all his. Dancing would have been nice; wearing a pretty gown a treat; but sex like that, with him whispering dark promises in her ear as his teeth nipped at the sensitive skin on her neck was better. An erotic reminder that what the Doctor wanted, he _sometimes_ got.

She felt a warm tingling feeling between her thighs as she thought about the silk striped tie he had worn and how he had used it. Biting her bottom lip, she peeked over at the Doctor.

He stood quietly; his gaze directed off in the distance as if deciding the next part of his ramble. She sidled up to him, bumping into his side and resting her hands lightly on his bare forearm. Despite their disagreement and her displeasure and hurt at his actions, she had not been oblivious to how he had looked on the boat during the race.

She remembered that flare of warmth, that feeling of _want_ at seeing him standing in the sun, his shirt sleeves rolled up, the wind ruffling his hair and the competitive look in his eyes. Her toes had curled and she'd almost forgotten how angry she was at him. But then he'd opened his mouth spewing out insults and taunts and her resolve had hardened. She'd won the race.

But after that victory, she had a different battle to contend with, one that could only be waged and won with words. It had been emotional and painful but he finally he conceded a few points and Rose gained a better understanding into his actions. They would work this out.

She felt a certain amount of relief. But then, he still felt the need to spout off some Time Lord rubbish about rules and protocol. That was fine by her. She would just make sure that he lived up to his end of the bargain. Her mind wandered back to how she would achieve that goal and their mutual satisfaction. She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, the fabric scented with the sea. She exhaled and closed her eyes as she felt him standing rigid, still riled up from their argument. Rose looked up at the Doctor and swallowed hard. Some days he could be such a git and some days that translated to hot, sexy git. She just needed to keep her focus or she would lose the upper hand.

A breeze carried the scent of the sea and cooled her heated skin. Maybe it was the fresh sea air or his sun-kissed skin and tousled hair; or the passionate emotions burning through their bond but the urge to shag him, perhaps up against the tree, was winning out over any other discussion she might have with him. She ran her fingers up his shirt and along his open collar, stopping to toy with the top button that was still nestled in place. She licked her lips and smiled softly at him.

"Rose," he sighed. "Were you even listening to me?"

"Course I was. There are rules and as long as I agree to your big Time Lord rules, you agree I can meet Tyler and if we loom another kid, I get to be there. I get it and I do understand. So I agree to your terms," she said with a nod of her head.

Then she smiled up at him, giving him that special Rose Tyler flirty tongue teasing smile. "Now that we have that settled, there's a matter of a certain bet and to the victor goes the spoils," she teased, wrapping her lips around the word _spoils_ as she looked at his mouth.

"Breakfast in bed as I recall. Pity we are neither in a bed nor is it breakfast time." he teased, relaxing and resting his hand on her hip, contemplating the abrupt shift of her mood.

She smiled softly and flicked a button of his dress shirt open; her gaze focused on that bit of his exposed skin with a few chest hairs before she looked back up at him.. "Yeah, well we do have a nice bed on the TARDIS and since I seem to have myself a Time Lord, one might presume he can make it breakfast whenever he wants. In fact, I'll bet if we were to find our way to bed now, it would be morning before we know it, especially if we use our time creatively. Perhaps incorporate a few of the lusty ideas you were thinking about out on the water," she suggested, cocking her head to the side and letting him know he was projecting his thoughts quite clearly.

With a smirk and filthy whisper of run, he grabbed his coat and tie and pulled her through the crowd to the TARDIS. The door banged open and he yanked her against his chest, slamming his mouth against hers. He walked her backwards up the ramp until the small of her back bumped against the smooth coral of the console. She felt his mouth move down her neck, his teeth nipping at that spot just above her clavicle that drove her mad.

She ripped his shirt open, buttons flying and plinking onto the grating, falling through to parts unknown. With his help, she slipped his shirt off with one hand and tugged at his undershirt with her other hand, both items were soon tossed over a coral strut where he had previously thrown his coat. He made short work of her bikini top and tossed it carelessly over his shoulder as he picked her up.

With her arms and legs wrapped around him, he carried her back to their bedroom whilst enjoying how she nipped at his bottom lip and raked her fingers through his hair. The TARDS kindly moved their room close to the console room.

He tossed her on the bed and removed his trainers, shimmying out of his trousers and pants as she did the same. She lay on the bed nude and wanton, one hand gliding down between her breasts, her fingers dipping into her navel before tangling in her curls. He leapt onto the bed and grabbed her wrist.

"No fair starting without me." He nipped at the delicate underside of her wrist and then slid up her body, dipping his head down to dart his tongue out for a few subtle licks between her breasts before focusing on her neck. She arched into him, wrapping one leg around his hip and drawing her pointed toes up the back of his calf.

While he had her distracted, he reached beneath a pillow and pulled out strips of brown leather bindings. He sat up and stared into her eyes.

"As I recall, we discussed enjoying a few creative thoughts I was thinking," he said in a growling voice.

She hummed and gave him a tongue teasing grin before shifting him off balance and rolling him over, plucking the leather bindings from his hand. "Yeah we did."

"What are you doing?" he demanded, looking annoyed at having his plans thwarted.

"Teaching you that a little leather can be enjoyable and really pleasurable if used properly."

She leaned over him, her pink tipped nipples tantalizingly close to his mouth as she bound his wrists to the slatted head board that the TARDIS very generously provided her.

"Rose, what do you think you're doing?" he asked again with a gravelly voice, licking his lips quickly as he tested his bonds. He lay with his hands tied over his head, straining slightly but kept his eyes on her chest as she moved away.

Rose ignored him as she nibbled on her finger, sitting off to the side of him, her gaze traveling down his body, a body she knew well. She loved his tall, lean frame with slight definition. His legs were long and toned from all the running they did. His normally pale skin was slightly tanned from his time on the boat and he had the most delicious sprinkling of freckles, which she had spent many a naughty moment tracing with her tongue.

She reached over, enjoying this bit of control over him even if it was only temporary, and ran her fingers across his chest; the pads of her fingers tracing over his left nipple down to his navel. She paused and looked up at him to find his eyes dark and piercing, almost black. His hair had fallen slightly across his forehead and Rose felt familiar heat pooling in her as energy sparked between them through their bond.

It made her warm and wet. Her breath hitched as that current danced along her nerve endings. She closed her eyes, her head falling back as she immersed herself in the feeling of him curling his timeline around hers in that seductive Time Lord way.

"Doctor," she gasped as she felt the energy flow directly to her sex. She opened her eyes, golden flecks of time flickering, and leaned over him, her blonde hair falling over her shoulders.

"You want to know what I am doing?" she asked in a husky voice and leaned down to flick his finely haired chest with her tongue.

The Doctor groaned and his arms pulled at the bonds, rattling the headboard, straining to get closer to her.

"Mmmm," she hummed. "I'm taking your hint and usin' the leather." When she looked up at him, it was as a wolf stalking her prey "Never promised I would use it exactly like you wanted but then I did win so…" she paused and crawled up closer to him rubbed her cheek against the slight scruff on his face, the prickly sensation against her soft skin adding to her already stimulated body. "I get to decide who and how," she whispered in his ear, her nose brushing into his soft chestnut hair. She licked her way down to his shoulder where a pink heart shaped, chip flavoured tattoo decorated his arm. She laved it, groaning, and felt his hearts pound as a moan vibrated in his chest.

He watched her intently almost stroking her with his gaze. "And what makes you think I'll just lie passively and let you?" he asked, as he again tensed, testing the bonds, the leather biting into his wrists.

Rose grinned and quickly slid down the bed. She enveloped his hard length between her plump lips, taking him in deep and humming as her tongue glided along him. He gasped her name and arched up, anything he was going to say, lost. Her cheeks hollowed; she enjoyed this power over him. She released him with a pop and looked up to find his dark eyes hooded, staring down at her.

"That was naughty," he said in that sexy growling voice that made her shiver.

She smiled and held him firmly in hand, leaning down to lick his sensitive tip, eliciting a curse from him. She looked up at him through her curtain of hair.

"You haven't seen naughty yet," she promised. She reached a hand onto his chest, her nails biting into his tender flesh to hold him steady as she slid him into her mouth.

The Doctor liked to be the one in charge, the leader, the maker of decisions, the protector of his Rose, and the one to set the pace so to speak. That was, until Rose tied him to the bed. At first, he'd been perturbed, a tiny bit frustrated that he couldn't bind her up and remind her she was his bond mate in all ways, and that no foolish row over looming of all things mattered.

Rose, however, had other plans. Although he often complained about her propensity to dive into things without consulting with him as to consequences, he loved her spirited, passionate and impulsive nature. She was the antithesis of Time Lord discipline.

His Rose was like a wild thing, untempered and unfettered time racing forward, embracing him, taking him to places, and showing him things he'd never seen. He was captivated by her and yet he had this need to wrap her around him, tightly bind her so he would never lose her, his wild wolf, temporal vixen, and beloved of all time and space. Every day she surprised him and taught him something new, revealing some yet unknown aspect of his own nature, or showed him that sometimes one must let go and just experience. This was one such time.

The scent of the coconut oil on her skin from their day of sailing mixed with her natural sweet floral scent that was just teeming with her pheromones enveloped him in a lust filled haze. Suddenly, being bound up, the leather biting into his wrists, the feel of her hot wet mouth surrounding him while holding him down, was eliciting not just a burning passion but a feeling of security that she was his and he hers.

She taunted and tested him with each swipe of her tongue or slight graze of her nails. The brush of her hair against his abdomen as her head moved in a torturous rhythm only served to send him ever closer to the edge. He groaned and arched his hips up toward her, his arms pulling at the leather bindings and his eyes shut tight as he tried to hold back.

Rose was relentless, determined to make him lose control. She knew him. That stray thought flickered in the burning lust in his mind. His Rose knew every sound he made, his responses, what he liked, what made his toes curl, and when he was close. She was making a point with this and although part of him knew this and resented it, wanted to fight against it, another part welcomed this lesson. He felt his control slip as her essence washed over him through their connection and in one searing moment, he let go and rode the waves of pleasure coursing through him as he came with a shout.

He shuddered in pleasure, revelled in it like the other times he had with her, but this was different. She held him, murmuring words of love, and he felt a brief relief of the burdens he carried with him every second of every day. For that moment, he laid them down and just loved her.

When he opened his eyes, she was cuddled up into his side and the leather bindings released. Her chin rested on his shoulder and one of her hands was tangled in his hair, tugging and caressing him.

"Hello," she murmured.

He looked at her, relaxed and sated. "That wasn't how that was supposed to happen."

"Mmmm I know." She smiled.

He regained his composure, reverting to the worn and burdened Time Lord he was.

"You didn't have to do that," he announced, a slight edge to his voice. "You didn't let me…"

She stopped him with a kiss. "I liked it. I felt it as much as you did and I wanted to do that for you. To show you that it's okay and that I'll be there for you like you are for me."

His head thunked into the bed and he stared at the ceiling. "You're making a point," he said, sounding a bit annoyed.

"Now don't get that way! Or do I have to tie you up again?" she teased.

In a flash of movement, she found herself under him with him holding her wrists over her head. She sighed. It was so him. He hated to lose and she had just thoroughly blown away his victory again. Twice in one day was probably more than he could handle. His gaze was intense and his eyes black as the deepest, darkest edge of space. She could tell he wasn't angry but wanted to assure she understood his need to possess and dominate in the most primitive of male ways.

"Doctor," she began, intent on trying to tell him that making love to him had not been about winning an argument.

"No," he said softly. He gently kissed her, his lips soft against hers. He held her firmly and lowered his body to hers, her legs parting naturally; his already aroused and hardened length ready for round two.

He tugged at her lower lip and slid his tongue against hers, taking his time, making things slow and deliberate. She felt his mind brush against hers and moaned. When he pulled back, he let go of her wrists and rested on his forearms on either side of her.

"Thank you and I know you would not use sex as some method to make a point. Your mouth does a good enough job of that," he remarked with a cheeky grin and a naughty glint in his eyes.

Rose giggled, slapping at his shoulder as his gaze focused on her breasts as if calculating his next move. He looked up at her, his eyes darkening once again.

"Although sex is my favourite method for resolving tensions," he punctuated this with nestling himself in her wetness.

Rose curled a leg around him. "Mmmm not the best solution but one of my top favourites," she agreed, raising her hands to play with his hair again.

He almost purred in enjoyment before looking at her with a predatory gleam in his eyes. Suddenly, he moved yanking her hips up and sheathing himself deep inside of her.

"My favourite is proving," he grunted and thrusted into her, bouncing her on the bed. "How much you are mine," he punctuated his words with more movements sliding in and out.

Her legs tightened around him as she arched, her hands sliding down his back and digging her nails into him. "Yes, yours," she moaned.

He gripped the duvet on either side of her head and poured himself into her, showing her what he couldn't verbalize: the fire that raged in him, how she tempered him, the power of his love for her, and the simmering darkness only she could contain and how easy it would be for him to unleash it.

His movements became fierce, driving and single minded as he ground against her, hitting her in the spots he knew so well that would be her undoing, shaking the bed with his ferocity to possess her completely.

She cried out begging for more, shouting "My Doctor," until the time lines snapped around them as she clenched around him. Both of them howled into time itself. They collapsed, tangled together; their bodies sweat slicked. They fell into a content sleep unaware how brief that happiness was about to become.

The loud tolling of the Cloister Bell reverberated in the TARDIS. The Doctor shot out of bed. He paused, his brow furrowing as Rose rubbed sleep from her eyes and murmured, "What is it?"

He cursed and began yanking on clothes. Ignoring her question, he ran out the door in his trousers and his shirt half buttoned.

Rose's head thumped back on her pillow and she stared at the coral ceiling of their room. A sense of foreboding and the universe gone asunder enveloped her. She groaned and rolled out of bed. "No breakfast in bed this morning," she muttered as she dug around for her jeans and blue t-shirt.

As she dressed and ran a comb through her tangled hair, she looked in the mirror and saw a black hooded figure standing behind her. Her skin prickled and she whipped around, but no one was there.

"Okay, that's not good," she commented to the empty room.

Rose could hear the Doctor cursing and the TARDIS was encouraging her not to dawdle. She paused at the door, again peeking around her room and feeling that cold feeling in the pit of her stomach when her life was about to go to hell.

When she entered the console room, it was bathed in red light. "Doctor, what's going?" she asked before an image suddenly appeared next to the console.

The Doctor raced around and watched as a hologram of the Corsair, with raven black hair, twinkling blue eyes, dressed in his typical favoured attire, white ruffled shirt, black breeches and a long blue ornate coat, grinned at them. "Greetings, you old scallywag!" And then the Corsair bowed. "And most lovely salutations to the fair and lovely Rose." He winked.

"If you are seeing this gorgeous visage of yours truly, then I am in dire circumstances and in need of a little assistance, your kind that is. And we all know if I'm asking, that's a whole nebula filled with bad.

"This message can only be triggered by me in my TARDIS. That means I need you to get your arses to me fast. No dilly dallying or naked fun times - move it! I wouldn't ask if it wasn't life or death.

"I'm sending you my signal so you can track me down." He reached over to something in front him and tapped it. He looked up. "Well, don't just stand there lolly gagging; Hoist your sails and save my arse! I have a bit of fondness for it! And, I'm betting the flower does too." He winked again and the image disappeared.

The Doctor let out a string of curses, some of which Rose recognized and others she didn't. He paced over to the console and stared at it a moment, his palms resting on the edge as the red light transformed to the standard blue glow.

"Doctor? What does he mean? I mean, he said life and death, but he's a Time Lord and can regenerate, right? What would be so bad that he'd call us?"

The Doctor turned to her. "Even a Time Lord can die and he wouldn't ask for help unless he was sure that…" the Doctor trailed off, his eyes dark and reflecting worry and determination.

He looked back at her. "Something's happening to him and I can feel it."

For a moment, her gaze dropped and then she looked back at the Doctor, golden flecks sparkling in her eyes. "I can too," Rose whispered. "The forever death and not just for him…"


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter involves crossed timelines, a previous incarnation of The Corsair and a previous incarnation of Dark Ten. I admit it's my favorite chapter and was written in particular for Littlewhomouse who inspired me with a certain scene from OAUT. Thanks for reading!

The Doctor stared at Rose as she blinked and seemed to snap out of the power that had a hold of her, a power he knew all to well as the Bad Wolf. He slowly let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding and turned to the console, his body tense at the ominous prediction. If something triggered that reaction in Rose, this wasn't just about the Corsair's life anymore.

He focused on the Corsair's timeline and the signal his TARDIS was emitting. He ran around the console and began turning knobs and flicking switches working on tracking the signal and scanning for any time anomalies that might be related to whatever was happening.

"Rose I need your help," he said without looking up.

Rose wrapped her arms around herself. She didn't like feeling that something was using her. She was only vaguely aware of what was happening when the entity emerged from wherever it resided deep in her mind. All she felt was a warm golden light embracing her. It wasn't painful nor did she feel in danger. She could see and sense things almost like she was in the background yet she still had some control. Then as quickly as it started, it disappeared, quietly burrowing back into a spot deep within her mind.

The Doctor's voice shook her from worrying about the entities unexpected appearance. She quickly walked over to the console, listening to his quiet commands and following his telepathic directions as she worked the controls.

She had learned much about TARDIS navigation since they began traveling, although she still couldn't grasp some of the more complex calculations. As the TARDIS hummed in the background, her hands moved from the universal trans-temporal stabilizer knobs, giving them two turns to the right, and then on to the vortex conductor circuits, gently sliding the three switches down.

The cold feeling she felt earlier in their bedroom began to wind its way through her. She'd had this feeling before and it had resulted in things like the arrival of the Doctor's void mad family and the Master's attack on Gallifrey.

As they travelled through the Vortex, searching for the Corsair, Rose looked over the console at the Doctor. His face was pale and he stared intently at a monitor. "Talk to me," she said quietly. "You suspect something don't you? It's like the Corsair said in his message. He wouldn't have contacted us like that unless he was in mortal danger," she paused, looking up at the time rotor as she chose her words carefully before looking back at him. "You said a Time Lord could die, but there aren't many ways for that to happen and not many species would know how. Is it Gallifrey, the Time Lords? Are they hunting him down?"

The Doctor stared hard at the controls before answering. "Yes, he's in serious trouble. I don't know who is doing it. I can't believe this is Romana. She and the Corsair have a bit of history…" He stepped away from the console and ran his hand through his hair thinking about the few intimate looks the two had shared. "No, it's not her," he stated firmly.

His brow furrowed. As he shot an annoyed look at the monitor, a growl rumbled in his chest and he slammed his hands down on the console. "Something's wrong with this signal. It's like it's warped, disappearing and reappearing and…."

"And what?" Rose asked, feeling a nervous prickle along her skin.

"Something's off. Like…" he trailed off, stepping away and tugging at his hair in frustration.

"Like he's disappearing or time is being twisted," Rose finished for him.

His arms dropped to his side and he looked over at her, a slight smile on his face. "Sometimes I forget how sensitive you are now," he murmured. He began to pace and gesture with his hands "Our timelines intertwine with his at several key points, mine in particular."

Rose nodded in concern and the Doctor paused, staring off across the room.

"If something happens to his timeline, his past or even his future with the way the three of us are…" He turned to Rose, the slightest fear reflected in the dark depths. "It affects us."

Rose stared at him for a moment as realization of how much it could affect them hit her. _Our timelines could be altered_. She swallowed hard at this thought.

The Doctor refocused on the console, moving around it as he began running computations and scans. He paused and slapped the controls.

"Impossible!"

"What?" Rose asked, moving to stand by his side and watching as Gallifreyan symbols flew by on the screen. The Doctor paced around the console and glared up at the time rotor as if whatever troubling him was the TARDIS's fault.

"We have to find him _now_. His timeline is destabilizing by a factor of fifty six." He walked back toward the controls hitting them violently until the TARDIS sparked and burned his fingers.

Rose didn't understand what that meant scientifically, but she knew what it felt like and it was frightening. The Corsair wasn't just a friend: he was family, the only other Time Lord they trusted and the one who had always been there for both of them. They owed him their lives. In fact, they owed him for helping Rose through a time of personal crisis, through a time when she had to decide whether to stay in this universe or return to her original and a far different life, watching all those around her age as she remained as she was. It had been the Corsair's plain logic and assurances that had helped Rose make the decision she had felt in her heart was the right one.

She moved over towards where the Doctor sucked his burnt fingers and curled up into his side, her hand rubbing his arm in comfort. He looked into her eyes and she could see how worried he really was. They couldn't delay this any longer.

The two of them worked the console in unison with one another, a firm commitment and purpose in their minds - to save their friend. The TARDIS hurled through the Vortex narrowing in on the Corsair's dodgy signal, shaking and careening as they lost and regained the tentative thread. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Rose, they landed with a bone jarring thump.

Rose barely held onto the console as they landed and looked over at the Doctor who was standing as if their recent crash landing hadn't affected him. "Well?"

He reached over and tapped the monitor, sighed and scrubbed at his face. "We've landed at the source of the signal."

Rose nodded her head and stood up, rubbing her hands on her jeans nervously.

The Doctor turned and leaned back on the console, crossing his arms with a faraway look in his eyes. "We have to find him, find out where he's been and what he's in the midst of. Whatever trouble he's found, it's deteriorating his timeline." He turned to look at her for a moment.

"Don't even think it," Rose warned, sensing his tension and need to keep her safe. She grabbed her black leather coat she'd left on the back of the jump seat and black boots from underneath it and began preparing for what lay ahead of them. "He's my friend too and he's saved both our arses more times than I can count. You're not going out there without me."

"We don't know what we'll find. It could be a trap. Not to mention, the kind of force necessary to rip apart time is…" He shook his head as he pushed off from the console, jammed his hands in his pockets and paced, his mind racing with all the dangers they could find outside the TARDIS.

Rose glared at him from the jump seat holding a boot in her hand and dropping it to the floor in frustration at his attitude. "I know. Maybe you forgot but I've done it; I stared into the heart of a TARDIS and not to mention, made a bloke into a fixed point. You don't get to lecture me on dangerous things and I'm sure as hell not letting you go out and face off against whatever alone." She finished putting on her boots and zipped up her coat, walking up to him, sweeping her up into a ponytail.

He sighed and grabbed his long grey coat, shaking it out with a snap before angrily putting it on over his grey pinstripe suit. He mumbled about bloody impossible, stubborn women as they walked out into what appeared to be the dark and musty cargo hold of a wooden ship.

The Doctor peered through the gloomy atmosphere. The hold was filled with crates and wooden barrels with black symbols branded into their sides. The ship creaked and groaned as it rolled, shifting up and down, presumably with the waves of the ocean on which it sailed. Rose stumbled back against the side of the TARDIS. The Doctor just shifted with the ship.

"Stay close," he ordered and reached for her hand.

They made their way in the dark, squeezing amongst the wooden crates and catching glimpses of rats scampering by into the cracks and crevices of the cargo. They heard voices shouting from a deck overhead and every once in a while a bit of light filtered down through the wooden boards above them. They eventually found a hatch and made their way up a set of narrow steps to the lower deck where they were promptly met by a group of swarthy, scruffy men garbed as pirates. It didn't take long for swords and muskets to be drawn.

"Looks to be Eighteenth century," the Doctor whispered to Rose before doing his best to play the imposing Time Lord in an attempt to gain the upper hand over their captors.

"Now see here, we are members of the Royal Guard of…" he began in an imperious tone. But, before he could finish, a sword tip was jabbed against his throat; the pirates looked ready to run him through.

"Sorry, he babbles when he's nervous," Rose inserted as she held her hands up in surrender.

The pirates were not impressed. A dirty red bandana wearing pirate with a pock marked face stepped back, his dark eyes zeroed in on the Doctor and his sword still held in front of him. He glanced once at Rose. One of the other pirates muttered something guttural to him that Rose couldn't make out. The sword wielding pirate walked behind them, looking them over. Rose swallowed hard. This was not good.

As the Doctor scowled and muttered a few curses about the time period, Rose sighed and then smiled brightly. "Hello!" she greeted. "I'm Rose and this is the Doctor and it appears we've taken a wrong turn."

The rank smelling pirates looked her up and down. A tall, well muscled burly pirate with a scar down his neck, smelling of rancid sardines and wearing a tattered sleeveless dirty cotton shirt made a rather lewd comment amount shivering her timbers. If the Doctor was in a bad mood before, he was bristling now. Rose sent him the telepathic equivalent of a pinch and _Not now_.

Rose smiled again. "Right, um, maybe one of you handsome blokes could take us to your Captain? I'm sure we could come to some kind of…arrangement for passage," she said a touch flirtatiously.

"Rose," the Doctor growled in warning.

Several of the pirates laughed and then jostled them forward. The burly scarred pirate nudged Rose forward with a slap to her arse. She squeezed the Doctor's hand to keep him calm.

Soon, they were climbing up wooden steps onto a very breezy deck. It was night time and the sky sparkled with stars as the sea breeze whipped at Rose's bound hair, a few strands coming loose in the wind.

The Doctor stuck out his tongue, then smacked it in his mouth, and inhaled deeply. "Definitely Earth, the Caribbean, 1751," he muttered as someone stuck the point of their sword in his back to encourage him forward.

"Watch it!' he warned. "This coat is irreplaceable! Why I-"

"Shut your filthy gob you fancy bow legged bilge rat!"

"What?" the Doctor gasped. "I am not!"

"Doctor," Rose whispered and glared at him. "Zip it and let's get to the Captain."

The Doctor grumbled and moved on ahead, glancing up at the sails whipping in the wind and listening as some of the crew laughed and sang bawdy songs about rum and the bow legged ladies of Tortuga. They were led to the Captain's private quarters. The pirate that Rose now identified as Scar, banged on the door and shouted, "Captain! Stowaways!"

"Bloody fucking hell!" a voice shouted out sounding annoyed.

The Doctor's face fell. "Oh no. No, no, no! I know that voice and it's not…we couldn't." He grimaced and a dark look crossed his face. "Bloody timelines," he grumbled.

Rose looked from his scowl to the door, which banged open and a tall broad chested man in an ornate black coat with gold detailing, white ruffled shirt, black breeches, boots and a very familiar feather embellished hat peered out at them. His green eyes narrowed on the Doctor, who glared right back at him.

"Well what are you waitin' for? Some fancy invitation? Drag their lily white arses in here!"

Rose and the Doctor where shoved into a room that was far more opulent than one would expect on a pirate vessel. There was a heavy mahogany writing desk bolted to the floor, an ornate rosewood canopy bed with mermaids carved into the posts, and lavish silk bed linens. Maps were scattered about with a sexton holding some of them down. There were several chests and a large, well-stocked liquor cabinet. Dinner was on one corner of the table along with a bottle that looked suspiciously like rum.

The pirate captain fingered a long jewel encrusted sword at his side and stared long and hard them. He paced a bit and toyed with his manicured chestnut coloured beard and nodded at his crewman to leave them.

"One might assume you have a bloody fucking good reason to be damn near crossing your own time line!" the Pirate Captain bellowed out at the Doctor.

"You're crossing your own timeline?" Rose turned to the captain and squinted. "Is this some prior regeneration of you?" she asked in disbelief.

The Captain barked out a laugh and slapped the Doctor on the shoulder, jarring the clearly unhappy Time Lord. The Pirate Captain then took a step closer to Rose.

He leaned into Rose; his eyes sparkled. "Hardly! The Corsair, at your service, dear lady," he said with an amused look and a deep bow and then looked over at the Doctor. "Now then, who is this golden goddess of time who has graced my fine vessel with her presence?"

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably and mumbled, "It's best you don't know."

Rose was a little flustered at meeting who she believed to be a prior incarnation of the Corsair. At least she was pretty sure he was as he didn't seem to recognize her, but then again, the Doctor had mentioned that memories can get scrambled during a traumatic regeneration and the Corsair was ill... Time travel always complicated things and when you threw in a Time Lord that had multiple regenerations, well, life was never boring and fraught with the never ending possibility for a universal ending paradox.

Rose looked at the Doctor who sighed and looked upward as if he would find some universal truth in the wooden ceiling. "Yes, it's what you're thinking," he grumbled.

Rose turned back to the Corsair, who looked back and forth between them. "Well I'll be duck kneed scruffet," he said, shaking his head and smiling again. "You"- he pointed at the Doctor -"finally dropped anchor, got hitched, tied the temporal knot of eternity, and are bonded!" the Corsair exclaimed and burst out laughing.

He looked over at Rose. "And you my shining star, how'd this old scallywag catch such a rare and beautiful flower such as yourself?" he asked, looking at her as if he could see something that mesmerized him.

"Oh, it's complicated," she answered and shot the Doctor a smirk. The Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose and looked in pain.

The Corsair laughed and slapped his knee. "Of course it is! Wouldn't be him if it wasn't! This calls for a drink!"

"Corsair, we are not here to get pissed or thrown in gaol," the Doctor snipped.

The Corsair pulled a bottle and some glasses out and banged them down on his map covered table. "Course you're not! Let me guess, those pompous pains in the arse have sent you and the missus out to fix some temporal incursion or screw up they think I'm doing. Is that it?"

"Corsair," the Doctor warned in a put upon tone. "This is far more serious."

Rose stepped up to the table. "Look, you're in trouble and we're trying to find the you that is in the most trouble, but we ended up here. Something's gone wonky with your timeline."

"Don't!" the Doctor growled at Rose and then sent her a telepathic warning about revealing too much about the Corsair's future.

The Corsair shoved two small shot glasses of rum to them and then downed his in one gulp before slamming it back down on the table. "No worries, lovely lady. I'm quite good at forgettin' what I don't need to know. Truth is I can feel something off. Don't know what's causing it but it's making me a touch queasy."

The Doctor stopped Rose from laying a comforting hand on the Corsair. "No. We can't take any chances. He didn't know you the first time you met him."

Rose nodded her head and worried. She picked up the glass of rum and sniffed it before sipping. It burned its way down her throat leaving her gasping a bit. The Doctor slapped her on her back and sent her the telepathic equivalent of _don't do that_.

The Corsair eyed them both. "So you need a hand tracking a future me down, do you?"

The Doctor sniffed and looked away. "I just need to adjust my TARDIS."

The Corsair snorted. "Don't be a stick up your arse teetotaller! I need help and apparently you're it, Gallifrey help me! So whether you want it or not, I'm giving you a hand. Course, there's a little matter of some Corellian Whiskey that somehow found its way to Earth and which needs…rescuing. I have to see to that first."

The Doctor paused and scrunched up his face and then his eyes lit up and he smiled. "Ohhhh I remember this!" He squinted and scratched his head. "Sort of. Might be a little foggy."

"Oh God, is that the timeline mucking up?" Rose asked, worrying how it might be affecting him.

The Doctor tugged at his ear. "No, in fact I'm sure it's not. It might be more of uhhhhh wedrankallthewhiskey issue."

The Corsair howled in laughter. "That sounds about right! Course, first we have to track it down and as it so happens…" He paused and leaned close to Rose. "This fine ship was on its way to Port Royal to meet my partner in this delightful little adventure to liberate us some fine whiskey and save the poor human population from suffering its wicked and evil influences." He winked at her.

Rose giggled. "Lucky for the human race we have you and the Doctor watching out for us!" she teased with that special smile that showed just a bit of tongue, which the Corsair seemed focused on.

"All right that's enough!" the Doctor grumbled and yanked Rose closer to him. "I recall something about this. Seems like I remember us separating to track down leads and meeting up at some dodgy tavern not far from the pier."

The Corsair reached over for the Doctor's rum and held it up and then swallowed it, downing it one gulp. "That would be about right! I parked me TARDIS not far from it."

"So you have something in your TARDIS that can help us?" Rose asked.

"Oh, we won't have to go that far! You just need my key for this fine endeavour. I'll just grab it from my partner!"

The Doctor groaned. "Ohhhh you gave me the key to your TARDIS!" he groaned, smacking his forehead as he began to remember.

"I bloody well didn't! You stole it from me!" The Corsair turned to Rose. "He said he didn't trust me not to abscond with the whiskey! Me, run off with a few crates of illegal whiskey?" he said, sounding wounded but with a naughty glimmer in his eyes.

Rose looked from the Corsair to the Doctor who leaned against the table and grabbed the bottle of rum which he took a swig of and grimaced.

"You two are the worst! Honestly, now all those stories I heard are makin' sense!" Rose said with a laugh, thinking about all the sordid tales the Corsair had shared with her about him and the Doctor.

The Corsair cleared his throat. "There might be one more wee complication."

The Doctor rolled his eyes and turned to look at the Corsair expecting the worse.

"My crew are experiencing a few trust issues of late," he confessed and reached for the bottle of rum.

The Doctor snorted and looked at Rose. "Translation, they're gonna mutiny."

"Well, that's not good given they're pirates and armed and all," she admitted, biting her lip and pacing a few steps. She turned to the Corsair. "Do they really make people walk the plank?"

"Oh that's a bunch literary flim flam! They'll slit our gullet open or hang us first!" he announced with great joviality.

"Thanks for clarifyin'," Rose said dryly and directed a pointed _I am so not amused look_ at the Doctor.

"Fine, we'll take my TARDIS," the Doctor announced and grabbed the rum bottle from the Corsair.

The Corsair squinted at him. "We bloody will not! Last time I let you drive we ended up in the middle of the Ky'otem rebellion with blasters up our arses!"

The two Time Lords glared at one another. Rose muttered a curse. "Fine, we solve the mutiny, get to Port Royal, get the key and the Doctor and me will be out of your hair."

The Corsair smiled. "Me darling temporal temptress, you can be in my hair any time you like," he flirted. Rose giggled and smiled

"Will you two stop it!" the Doctor groused, realizing this was going to take far more time than he liked.

dwdwdwdwdwdwwdwd

A few hours later, the munity was nipped in the bud. It took a bit of the Corsair's rum and Rose telling a ghost story, hinting that she was an emissary of the Goddess Calypso who would be less than pleased if they mutinied. The Doctor had rolled his eyes at this and murmured in her ear that things were much more complicated than some pirate film based on a ride at Disney World (the park on Earth, not the planet).

Rose reminded him it worked just as they made port. By this time, she was ready for dry land. She had experienced a brief bit of sea sickness, which, for the benefit of the crew, she had played off as her going into a trance and channelling the Goddess; after that, the crew were fearful of her and all talk of mutiny quickly disappeared.

Port Royal was not a typical sea port. It was a safe haven for pirates, smugglers and those with less than noble intentions. They'd been delayed by a storm and thus arrived at dusk. Oil lamps lit the cobblestone paved streets, which smelled of human waste mixed with the musky scent of the animals that roamed freely. Rose walked in between the Corsair and the Doctor as sailors called out lewd offers to her and prostitutes tried to cajole her male companions into buying a night of pleasure. In the dark recesses of the old wooden and stone buildings, people lurked: some were looking at them with suspicion, others were fighting, or were passed out drunk.

There was loud music and shouting coming from many of the buildings, which ranged from dodgy looking shops to pubs to houses of ill repute. They arrived outside a pub called, ironically enough, _The Sea Wolf_.

"Now then, the lady and I will go have us a nice drink and you," the Corsair explained and shoved a finger with a rather obnoxiously large ruby ring on it at the Doctor, "will stay here and try not to muck up your own timeline."

"I am not allowing her in that place without me. I've met myself plenty of times with no problems," he asserted, the oncoming storm raging in his dark eyes.

The Corsair snorted. "Right, sure you did." He turned to Rose. "He has issues with his past selves. Always ends up in a bit of scuffle, hurling insults and such and we don't' have time for that!"

The Doctor made an unhappy growling noise. "Fine, she stays and you go in and fetch the key," he insisted.

"I realize you're having a tad bit of a memory problem here, but you weren't in the best mood last time I saw you and even less happy 'bout me taking off in the frigate out there," he explained, nodding his head toward the bay. He turned to Rose. "He was a bit petulant it wasn't him getting to captain the ship." He winked at her again.

Rose nodded smiling. "Yeah, I'll bet." She turned to the Doctor. "Look, I'll be fine with the Corsair and after all, it's just you in there. I'll be careful, I promise."

The Doctor snorted, not looking convinced. "Just don't tell me your name or flirt or smile or…" He paused and sighed. "Can you just not smile at me? I was a bit…"

"Enough!" the Corsair groused. "Let's get on with it!" He turned to Rose with a charming smile. "My lady." He held out his arm. Rose smiled and wrapped her arm through his and the two of them walked into the dark and dingy drinking establishment.

After her eyes adjusted to the dim interior, she could see several banged up wooden tables and chairs dotting the confined space. There was a long wooden bar at the far end and stairs that led to an upstairs area where several prostitutes were lounging about. There was belching, a fight in a corner, and a glass shattering mixed with a murmur of men telling tall tales. A few people turned their heads, watching them suspiciously.

Rose's attention was caught by a man at the bar wearing a hip length dark green velvet frock coat, dark brown trousers and ankle boots. The man did not fit in with this crowd, especially with his golden brown curled hair. Rose smiled as she watched him, a warm feeling enveloping her. She could feel his time and she knew him. Although he was from an early point in time, was different, he was still her Doctor.

The young Doctor turned and Rose's breath caught. He was gorgeous. He wore an elaborate brown and gold waistcoat and cravat, but it was his eyes that captured her. He had grey blue eyes that in some ways reminded her of her first Doctor, but these eyes did not yet bear the heavy burdens and horrors of the Time War. And right now, those eyes were trained on her, assessing and deciding if she was dangerous. Rose arched a brow at him and he redirected his gaze to the Corsair with a less than happy expression.

The Corsair chuckled. "Don't worry, dear lady. Just leave it up to the Corsair to smooth out the ruffled feathers of this scurvy sea hawk."

Somehow Rose knew that wasn't going to work.

They walked up to the bar and the Corsair called out, "Doctor! Me old friend! How's life in this fine port been treating you?"

He sniffed and looked disdainfully at the Corsair. "It's been treating me with an abhorrent amount of foul and disgusting smells, even fewer good meals and… boredom," he answered with an annoyed tone. "There have been only a few minor distractions that could even be categorized as amusing and that would be stretching the definition of amusing." He turned to Rose and his expression lightened. "Unlike you. Who is this ethereal creature?" he asked with soft quality to his voice before his tone shifted to annoyed again. "All this pirate business has further disintegrated your already deplorable manners, Corsair."

"Oh this here is the living manifestation of the Goddess Calypso," he said with a wink at Rose, who looked away blushing. A few sailors nearby, having heard this, scooted away, shooting Rose a few pointed fearful looks.

The Doctor smiled. "Calypso is it? As I recall she was a rather infamous sea nymph, the daughter of Atlas and seducer of the brave Odysseus, her beauty and songs enchanting him for many years."

Rose disobeyed her bond mate Doctor and smiled. It wasn't that she did it on purpose. It was just her natural reaction to him.

"Yeah, well she did love him and eventually let him go. Must have been the hardest thing in the world to watch the man you love sail off to another woman."

His eyes sparkled a richer blue. "A romantic and learned woman. You, my dear Calypso, are a breath of fresh air in this otherwise rancid, festering cesspool." He leaned into her and whispered into her ear flirtatiously. "Now tell me what's such a lovely lady doing with this notorious privateer?"

Rose giggled as she felt him feeling her out telepathically and slammed up her own telepathic shields. He pulled back and stared at her, shock on his face. "Well, now that was just a bit rude," he commented as the Corsair leaned against the bar watching them.

"Let her be Doctor, the dear lady has a right to be suspicious of you trying to put the whammy on her."

The frock coated Doctor stiffened and shot the Corsair an offended look. "I would never, as you so coarsely described, put the whammy on anyone and certainly not such a fascinating and clearly anachronistic lady as our dear Calypso here."

He turned back to Rose and leaned in conspiratorially. "Now then, twenty first century, yes?"

Rose nodded her head. He smiled looking pleased. "Of course you are! And you came to be with my dear friend here…how exactly?"

Rose giggled at his obvious attempt to wheedle information out of her. He was brimming with a certain refined glow, a happy exterior, but inside this version of the Doctor had a very clever and devious mind. Oh he was certainly gorgeous and flirty, but one must never forget he was the Doctor. Even with the posh exterior and fine manners, he was going to find answers and not allow himself to be fooled, even by her.

"I sort of ended up in the cargo hold of the Corsair's ship," she answered elusively.

"Did you?" he asked with smile that perhaps did not quite reach his eyes. "You know it's hardly his vessel." He looked at the Corsair with a chastising look before returning his attention to Rose. "Do enlighten me, Calypso, who is certainly not some goddess or sea nymph as alleged, how does one end up in the cargo hold of an elicit ship?"

"It's complicated," Rose answered.

The Doctor laughed. "I love complicated!" A couple of fiddle players began playing a jaunty tune.

"May I?" the Doctor asked and bowed before Rose holding out a hand in offer of a dance.

Rose looked at the Corsair who shrugged at her. She turned back to the Doctor. "I'd be delighted."

He led her out to a bare spot of the tavern's dirty wooden floor; he grasped her hand and waist and proceeded to lead her around in quite a vigorous dance. Rose laughed and tried to keep up, matching his steps with her own. He leaned into her.

"Now then, let's not play games shall we? Who are you and why are you with the Corsair?" he asked with a bit more bite to his voice.

Rose thought for a moment and realized she had to tell him something. "I'm a time traveller but you know that," she answered.

He waited for her to continue whilst he led her in the dance.

"I sort of landed here by accident. The Corsair's helping me out with a problem and in return I played Calypso for his unhappy crew, so they didn't, you know, mutiny and regenerate him."

The Doctor tugged her closer, far more intimately than was appropriate during that time period and nestled his head so he could whisper into her ear. Rose shivered a bit as she reacted to this contact, her time mixing with his, feeling the soft golden brown locks of his hair against her cheek and still knowing him as her Doctor even if he was a younger version.

"Regeneration. Well now, you are an intriguing young woman to be so learned. Tell me, why do you feel so…" he practically moaned into her ear.

Rose felt her heart beat faster and internally cursed his ability to make her feel this way. "I…I can't tell you. It might cause a paradox."

He chuckled and Rose felt the small hairs on her neck prickle with what that chuckle promised. "A beautiful blonde time traveller who knows of Time Lords and paradoxes and whose timeline is glorious and seductive wanders into my path and I feel things I have not felt in a good century," he whispered. "If you think I'm not pursuing this, you are misinformed," he purred into her ear. "In fact, I have a glorious idea. Let's you and I steal that decrepit frigate the Corsair has left conveniently moored at the docks and you can tell me your little problem and let me help you. I promise, I'm far more interesting and suave than the Corsair."

He swept her around their tiny dance floor. "I think you want to - run away with me, that is. Maybe you already have…"

Rose swallowed hard and leaned back to look into his face.

He grinned brightly at her and leaned in to rest his forehead against hers. "I knew it! You are from my future!" he said excitedly and then blinked. "Oh that was interesting," he commented after getting a flash of something from her. He looked at her again and noted the growing look of fear on her face.

"Oh don't worry, my dear. This wouldn't be the first time I've played it foot loose and fancy free with my own timeline. I'm quite good at it. Now then," he said, letting her go and clapping his hands, "we could both do with some fresh air."

"But aren't you and the Corsair and after some stolen whiskey?"

"Oh that! I've taken care of that little matter whilst the Corsair was off playing the privateer, not that he doesn't do so brilliantly. No worries, I assure you. I am all yours," He leaned down and kissed her hand.

As he stood up, a large wooden oar was smacked down on the back of his head knocking him out cold. He crumpled to the floor in his green frock coated glory. Rose looked up to see the very angry face of her Doctor muttering about pretty, fancy, flirty, happy incarnations. He leaned down and pulled a TARDIS key from the pocket of the green frock coat.

"Doctor!" Rose shouted, shooting him an angry look.

"Eighth me was always a bit of a dandy with the ladies," he announced, looking arrogant and annoyed.

"You just smacked yourself on the head! You could have killed yourself and caused a…."

"Don't be daft! Of course I didn't. I've got an incredibly hard head. Time Lord you know. And besides, I remember this…sort of," he said and furrowed his brow.

By that time, several men had stood up. There was shouting. Bottles were thrown along with a few punches. The Doctor grabbed Rose's hand and shouted, "Run!"

Sadly, they were all too familiar with this type of scenario and dashed amongst the brawling sailors until they made it outside and into a dark corner where Rose smacked his arm.

"What?" he shouted. "He was trying to steal you for himself! And that would have caused a universal destroying paradox. Not to mention, it pissed me off!"

The Corsair, carrying the Doctor's Eighth incarnation stomped over to them and dumped the unconscious Time Lord on the muddy ground.

"What the bloody hell did you think you were doing in there?" he shouted as windows shattered and bar patrons were tossed out.

"Protecting what's mine!" the Doctor snarled back.

The Corsair just stared at him. "You've changed, old friend, and not for the better."

"Stop it!" Rose intervened. She grabbed the Corsair's arm and led him a few feet away, ignoring the Doctor's darkening mood.

"Look, I can't tell you what happens, but something's coming, something that will change all Time Lords and a good portion of the Universe forever. My Doctor, he's suffered terribly. Things you can't imagine and don't want to." She looked at the unconscious Time Lord lying in the street and then back at the Corsair, tears shining in her eyes. "I see that him, what he was, and it kills me a little. He's the same man but that him hasn't known the pain."

"I've known him longer and I know his pain," the Corsair argued, angry and willing to defend his friend.

"Yeah, I know you do," Rose replied softly. "You are the dearest friend we have and I owe you so much, but what's coming, it will tear things up worse than you can know," she said with vehemence, her face reflecting an anguish that comes from someone who has faced and endured terrible things.

The Corsair stared at her for a moment, taking in her inner turmoil, the sorrow and misery reflected in her eyes as she looked at him compassionately.

"You love him, all of him," he stated seriously.

"Yeah, I do, very much. And there's isn't much I wouldn't do for him."

"Even soften up a younger, suspicious him," the Corsair teased.

Rose smiled and looked down shyly. "Yeah, if he needs me to."

"Love and loyalty are rare in the universe," the Corsair stated with a bit more of his typical bellowing voice. "The Doctor is one lucky old scallywag! And it looks like I'm not too bad off if I've got me self the two of you beholden to me! All right, we let bygones be bygones…this time!"

Rose forgot the Doctor's prior warning and threw herself at him in a big hug, surprising the Corsair. His eyes went blank for a moment before patting her on the back and gazing down at her seemingly befuddled. He shook himself and the feeling that time had just trembled as he was embraced. He still didn't understand who she was only that it was important that he help her.

"There's still a matter of…"

"He told me he found the Whiskey and he hid it away somewhere," Rose inserted, smiling at him.

"Did he now?" the Corsair asked and nudged the unconscious Time Lord with his boot. "Scurvy, deceiving…"

The current angry Doctor cleared his throat. The Corsair looked up at the Doctor holding his key. "Right!" the Corsair said, grinning. "Let's get to my TARDIS so you can let me in and then you can be on your way and rescue me from whatever trouble's found me.

Rose looked at the Doctor's Eighth incarnation. "What about him?" she asked. "Will he be all right?"

Her Doctor snorted and the Corsair laughed, "Dear lady, he will be right as rain!" He winked at her.

They went to his TARDIS, so that he could enter and retrieve a new key. As they left, Rose swore she heard a man chuckle and saw a black cloaked figure in an alley watching them. She shook it off as her Doctor tugged at her arm.

With the spare key to help them track down the right Corsair, they headed back to the frigate and their own TARDIS, disappearing into the swirling sea fog that had enveloped the town and into the tales and legends of Port Royal.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to Littlewhomouse for betaing. Although I changed it a little after her beta and then my laptop had a malware issue so ugh there could be errors and it's not her fault. I think corrections were saved but if not, blame me! NSFW chapter!

Sea fog swirled around the Doctor and Rose as they silently walked down the wooden pier toward the frigate. The sound of the water lapping against the pilings was marred only by shouts from the wild town in the background. The Doctor held Rose's hand in a vice like grip as if he expected her to run. Rose shivered in the cool humid weather. A storm was brewing and not just one at sea. She sensed it the moment they stepped out of the TARDIS. When they ran across the Corsair's prior incarnation, a dark tension had surrounded the Doctor. That tension escalated when Rose had encountered the Doctor's Eighth self.

A gust of wind picked up, swirling the Doctor's coat about his legs. But he didn't notice. His eyes were focused ahead on the boat. His grip tightened whilst they quickly walked up the gang plank onto the deck of the ship, ignoring the stares and whispers of the crew who almost looked frightened of Calypso and her dark consort. They clamoured down into the bowls of the ship heading directly to the TARDIS. Once inside, the Doctor, dropped her hand and went directly to the console. He slammed the Corsair's key down and went to work without another word.

Rose felt like she'd been through her own emotional roller coaster and normally she was okay with that. This was them and it was par for the course with their types of adventures. However, she was tired, hadn't bathed in two days, felt manky and sticky from sea spray and filth from Port Royal. She needed a hot bath to wash away not only the grime from her adventure but also some of her inner turmoil. It would be nice to have a little time to think about what had happened, the Doctor's prior regeneration and the Corsair. It was a lot to process.

Whilst the Doctor leaned over the console, tense and fixated on his work, Rose quietly made her way towards the corridor, heading to their room. As she peeled off her rank smelling clothing, she felt the TARDIS dematerialize. A sigh escaped her lips, hoping the Doctor was focused on the Corsair and not what had happened in Port Royal. She ran a hand through her tangled and filthy hair as she entered the bathroom to find an extra large tub already filled with warm scented water.

"Thank you," she breathed and gently caressed a coral wall. Sinking into the bubble bath, she submerged herself in the warm water, enjoying the buoyant silence that being submersed provided.

When she finally emerged, she swept her hair from her face and reached for shampoo only to find her Doctor standing by the tub, a dark and intense gaze aimed at her. She knew that look all too well. It was one that usually preceded an accusation or angry diatribe regarding some transgression he believed she committed.

She sighed. "Doctor…"

"You were flirting with him, other me," he accused with a hurt and angry tone, his shoulders tense as he paced a few steps before turning back to her.

Rose felt her temper rise. Of all the things for him to accuse her of and to instigate a temper tantrum, he chose her behaviour with a prior incarnation of himself.

"Let me get this straight," she retorted, wiping water out of her eyes, her hands splashing angrily in the bath water. "You're jealous of your prior self, a part of you, because he flirted with me?"

"You liked it and you," he said, pointing at her, "flirted back!" He violently shoved his hands into his pockets.

Rose decided she'd had enough. "You know what? I did like it! In fact, I loved that I could do that, see another part of you."

The air crackled with tension and his eyes were black pits of fury. "Maybe I should have left you there with him," he said in a soft bitter voice.

Rose slid over to the side of the tub near him and gripped the edge. "Do you have any idea how stupid this is? You're angry over me going in there to convince the other you to give us the blooming key and other you liked me. That's just mental! He's you!"

"That's not the point!" he shouted, yanking off his coat and throwing it violently against a wall.

"Then what is the bloody point?" she demanded.

He paced and tugged at his hair before turning to her. "You left me to go off and -"

"Do what we needed to be done!" Rose shouted at him. "'Cos you know I just love going to some filthy tavern and risk a paradox to talk your suspicious other self into handing over some bloody key that he knicked off the Corsair 'cos he doesn't trust him either! Yeah, that's my idea of a fun time," she said sarcastically. "And have you forgotten we were doing this to save the Corsair, our friend who's in trouble?"

"No!" he shouted. "How could I forget when there was a version of him staring at your arse the whole time while other me tried to sweep you away!" He stormed over to the tub, looming over her and pointing at her in his frustration and anger. "And he would have too! I know what I was like then and seeing you being all pretty, blonde and rife with time energy was like placing a scrumptious banana cupcake in front of starving man! Of course he's gonna eat it!"

"Oh my gawd! Did you just compare me to cupcake with some sexual innuendo?" Rose exclaimed. That was it. She'd put up with his attitude for days now and was sick of it.

She couldn't look at him. Her hands gripped the side of the tub. No amount of soothing scented water was going to calm her down now. "Get out," she said in a tight voice.

"What did you say?" he asked his voice low and seething.

"I said _out_! 'Cos you know what? Over and over again, I've told you I love you, want to spend my forever with you and only you, but it's like you aren't listening or just don't get it!"

He stared at her in shock as if all the anger suddenly drained out of him. Rose was his comfortable, soft place. She let him vent and shouted back at him but out of love. They rowed and shagged to make up. She didn't toss him out. It cut him to the core that his Rose was sending him away. He stared at her, clenching his jaw as she continued her rant at him.

"Now, you can take your jealous Time Lord arse out of here and go do whatever you need to do to get sane again 'cos right now you're not! I'm tired and dirty and just plain not up to dealing with this jealous shite of yours. I need a bath and some alone time."

"Rose, you don't understand," he said in a clipped voice, his eyes darkening further as his temper rose to meet her own aggravation.

Her head jerked toward him, her eyes narrowing and before he could say another word, she reached over in the water, grabbed a sodden bath sponge and hurled it at his head where it hit said annoying Time Lord on the forehead with a satisfying wet squelching noise.

"Yeah I do. Get out or so help me, I'll ask the TARDIS to eject all your trainers into the Vortex."

He ran a hand over his damp face and stared at her, realizing she meant it. Anger and deep seeded insecurity bubbled up in him and spewed forth bits and pieces from that dark and vindictive bit of his soul he tried to keep away from her. He turned away from her, his shoulders set and stiff.

"Fine, you can sit in here and prune for all I care. You just languidly float in your pretty little bubbles and think of posh Victorian me. It's not like you'll ever get to see him again and you know why? Cos that man died alone in his TARDIS fighting a war he didn't want!" With that he stormed out slamming the door behind him.

She rubbed her temples and sat back in the warm water staring blankly and going over the past few days in her head. How was it that he was the only one that got to be angry? He was the one hiding things from her. He was the one acting the git on Krao. It wasn't her fault he landed them some place where they crossed his timeline or that she had to be the one to fix things.

She reached again for the lemon sage shampoo and began lathering her hair. She inhaled the calming scent and tried to let the tension go. As she rinsed and ran her fingers through her long blonde strands, she concluded he was just being typically him. Only, she had been so sure they were past some of this behaviour. They had seemed to be on a better path, working together as a team, making a difference and just having fun.

She smiled as she thought about a trip to Earth they'd taken recently. He had once again been buried in Time Lord bureaucracy and she had nudged him to take a quick trip with her to Venice, Italy. They'd found some of the notorious stone angels feeding off the tourists in Piazza San Marco.

He had stormed up to statutes surrounded by dozens of pigeons that seemed transfixed their little beady eyes staring at the statutes oblivious to the Time Lord. The Doctor lambasted the stone creatures with a Time Lord tirade that would be legendary in her mind. Once the ranting had been completed to his satisfaction, he'd grabbed her hand and they'd weaved their way amongst the tourists to a little shop nestled away in one of the maze of narrow streets and bridges that dotted Venice. Together they picked up bits and bobs and worked in tandem to create a temporal dampening field that would lock the angels in place, preventing them from devouring any more humans.

It was evening when they returned and the angels tried to retaliate by shorting out the lights in the plaza, cloaking them in darkness so they had free reign to move. Rose had been prepared with torches and lanterns. They'd set up the devices and with one rather impressive blue flash, the stone angels were sorted.

Afterwards, there had been a sumptuous dinner, wine and shagging in a doorway along one of the narrow streets, quickly followed by running when the home owner objected to their smutty celebration. It had been fun. They had laughed and took their time returning to London.

Rose smiled thinking about that adventure, but then her smile fell as she thought about his secret trip to Gallifrey and his reason for keeping it from her. He trusted her with a stone angel caper but not with an offspring. That still hurt. It always seemed to fall back to three concepts: lack of trust, his fear of losing her, and his consuming need to protect her.

Rose leaned back against the side of the tub and pondered this. He wasn't just jealous of his other self. It was deeper. It was his insecurity, constantly believing she would leave him. At first, he thought she would abandon him for her family or her original Doctor. Most recently, he seemed to think she would choose some loomed offspring she'd never met over him and finally, the cherry on the sundae of his insecurity, she would leave him for this other regeneration of him.

To Rose, it was insane, but a small voice in her head reminded her of all he had endured. There was that fathomless, dark pain and anger he worked hard to tamp down that still festered in him and would continue to do so for perhaps the rest of his life. He would not quickly recover from the horrors of war and the trauma of witnessing the mad remnants of his House and their ultimate demise.

Tears stung her eyes. He needed her. He loved her. She slid onto a bench in the large tub and wrapped herself in a ball, droplets of water falling from her hair like tears. She rested her chin on her knees and wept. He needed someone to love him as intensely as he loved and she did love him with every cell in her body. But she had nightmares of her own to fight off.

It was often easy to set aside her own pain and fears when she was with him, focusing on him and helping to make him better, but now she wondered... Was she strong enough to give him what he needed? What had she just done but shoved him away, tired of his constant moodiness, tired of always being the one to make things right, tired of constantly assuring him she loved him and wanted to be with him.

She heaved wracking sobs as she worried she would never be enough, that she wouldn't be strong enough for him. What if one day she did run because she couldn't fix it or make it better for him? What if her own darkness, the howling monster inside of her, consumed her and she lost herself? Perhaps, she already had.

Rose had often worried and wondered about who was she now. Some called her consort of her Doctor, others wife or bond mate and then there were those who called her Bad Wolf. What had happened to Rose Tyler? She feared that everything that was Rose Tyler had been imbedded in a clone sent back to Pete's World to live a human life with a part human Doctor. It frightened her to think that maybe everything good, the compassion and kindness that she once had, was gone.

When she had seen her original Doctor again, after her trip through the Void, he had said she was different. She knew she wasn't entirely human, but she had always clung to her belief that she was still Rose. Now she questioned that. Her Doctor was storming about the TARDIS in some fit of jealousy and suspicion and she was crying in the bath. They were quite the couple.

After a few more moments mired in her own self-doubt, she realized nothing would be solved pruning in the bath tub. The only solutions were out there with her Doctor.

She towelled off and wrapped a large, soft navy blue towel around herself and stared at the closed door. She inhaled deeply and slowly let her breath out. Wallowing in worry and her own insecurities wouldn't solve anything. She had to talk to him and somehow make things better. When she exited the bathroom, what greeted her was shocking to say the least.

The bedroom was lit by candle light and the Doctor stood before her looking miserable. He had on his dark grey pinstriped trousers, blue oxford with the top few buttons undone, and his scuffed up trainers. He looked rumpled, his hair sticking up on end as if he'd tangled his fingers in it out of frustration as he often did. But it was his face that tugged at Rose's heart. He looked lost and his eyes were filled with a heart crushing sadness and misery.

"I…Rose, I can't be other me. I'm not even the me you first met on Earth."

He stepped towards Rose. "And you, you're not the same Rose who arrived here either. I..." He paused and ran his hand through his hair and looked at her, his eyes reflecting a familiar obstinate attitude. "We're bonded. When you hurt, I feel it. Especially when I might have…" He looked down and shuffled his feet before looking at her again. "Rose you know who I am!" he finally said, his voice rough and tinged with anger and frustration.

Rose nodded and tugged at her towel. "Yeah, I do and sometimes I get overwhelmed and sometimes I worry I'm not gonna be able to make it better for you. I try Doctor, but I just..."

"You do make me better and I know it's no picnic living with me. Yes, I was jealous of other me. Seeing myself like that with you, the sort of man I was then, it reminded me of who I once was. Maybe you're tired of this grumpy, angry Time Lord and you want who I used to be," he explained, sounding resentful and a touch acerbic. "Him, that version of me, he was a renegade, out for a lark with the Corsair, saving the little humans here and there, righting wrongs. And he still liked the universe." He gazed up at the ceiling as if looking at nebulas and fantastic astronomical sights that once held his wonder. He shut his eyes tight and turned back to her, his eyes reflecting pain.

"He hadn't had his joy and wonder ripped away, hadn't endured the endless destruction and death of war or watched his people become even more corrupt than he thought possible," he said acidly. "He was more worthy of you than this old, broken, vindictive Time Lord."

"Doctor," Rose said softly.

"But he doesn't need you like I do, couldn't love you like I do," he finished, looking at her, begging her to believe him.

Rose went to him and slid her arms around his waist, tears trailing down her cheeks. "I'm here and you are the man I fell in love with, the one I want to be with and I'm not going anywhere unless you ask me to," she promised. "

He pulled back and gazed into her eyes, falling deeply into them, seeking and searching for her essence and their bond and when he found it, he wound himself around her.

"Neither am I," he said softly. "Rose, you are so much more than you think. Yes, you've changed"– he leaned down and touched his forehead to hers –"but you are still my Uncommon Rose and she is filled with so much love and light. I know I'm a jealous git but don't you ever feel like you are anything less than the one person I love, trust and admire in the entire universe."

He pulled back, smiling down at her? "Why do you think I fight so hard to possess you and go so far as to bash my prior self over the head? Not that it made a difference!" he snipped and sniffed.

Rose felt a soft smile bloom on her face. "Doctor, you are all I need. And, yeah you can be a right git sometimes but that's sort of who I fell in love with." She paused, her brow furrowing. "That sounds so messed up." She buried her face in his chest and snuggled there for a moment.

He tilted her chin up and looked into her eyes. "Normal is not who we are. We are…"

"The stuff of legends," she automatically inserted and then winced. That was another Doctor and she knew how this Doctor felt whenever she brought up something from her past adventures.

He stiffened but didn't push her away as he once would have if she had repeated something from her past. He stared at her for a moment. "I was thinking more along the lines of The Doctor and his Uncommon Rose, Time's Champions and Protectors of the Universe. Legends imply we're something of a mythology, just a story. But we are flesh and blood, living creatures. I don't want a myth, I want my Uncommon Rose, even when she snarks at me about humany domestic things," he said with a touch of an arrogant smirk.

She smacked him on his chest and rolled her eyes. "You had to go there didn't ya?"

"It's the truth and I'm trying to be honest with you. As honest as when I say…" He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. "I will always be yours and you, you will always be mine…forever. And anyone or thing that tries to destroy what we have better run because I will hunt them down and do whatever it takes to protect this," he growled and slammed his mouth against hers.

Doubt was swept aside as Rose felt him wrap all of himself around her: his arms, his mind and time enveloped her. She moaned as he nipped at her bottom lip and his tongue curled and caressed her intimately in that talented way only he could. Her towel slipped and fell to the floor as his hands glided down her back and cupped her bum pulling her so close she could feel the delicious bulge in his trousers and the friction of the fabric against her skin.

Rose scraped her nails down the Doctor's oxford clad back and then skimmed her hands down beneath his trousers, happy to find him pant less. She moaned as he turned her toward the bed and slowly dipped her down until her back hit the dark blue coverlet and he leaned over her, never breaking contact with her. His lips pressed against hers but not the hard and deep possessive kisses they normally shared after an argument or some traumatic adventure. This was slow, languid to be enjoyed and savoured. Lips and tongue pressing, caressing and softly tasting.

They parted with a gentle nip. Rose trailed her hands back up his back and around to his chest where she quickly made short work of his buttons before pausing. "The Corsair and the key?" she questioned.

He pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside. "The TARDIS is calculating his timeline using the key as a base."

Rose sat up, unfastened his trousers and shoved them down, licking her lips as she took in his lean, lithe form along with his impressive arousal. Trailing her fingers up and down his hard length, she looked up at him, her eyes a deep golden brown that was like gazing into the vortex.

"I just…we owe the Corsair and we can't…not while he's in trouble," she tentatively explained, unable to hide her hesitancy and guilt at enjoying pleasure while their friend's life was in peril.

He stepped away from her reluctantly to pull off his trainers and disposed of his trousers. He crawled onto the bed beside her. His dark gaze travelled over her pale nude form as it lay against the blue coverlet. She was stunning in his eyes. He loved her not for her perfection but her beautiful imperfections. There was the mole on her left shoulder; her right breast was slightly heavier and fuller than her left; and there was scar under her right knee. He knew that she was more sensitive on the right side of her neck just over her clavicle and exactly what oral stimulation worked best and where she liked to be nipped to make her scream. She was unique, special and he wanted to know every quirk of her body and was sure it may take him centuries to learn everything. He was good with that.

"Time Lord," he reminded her as she worried her lip.

She smiled, relaxing as she began her own appraisal of him. From his toned and finely haired legs, his narrow hips and tight arse, to his defined and freckled chest, she enjoyed his body as much as he did hers. As her gaze travelled up his neck, she noted his shadowed cheeks and shivered at the thought of feeling that slight bit of scruff against her inner thigh.

He smirked at her naughty thoughts and like a cat prowling for its prey, he smoothly crawled over her body sliding his hands up her hips as he nudged her legs apart with his knee, gently pressing her down on the bed in a predatory manner.

"Rose," he growled in a very Time Lord way, vibrating energy against her skin. She gasped at the sensation and he leaned down and flicked his tongue against the nipple of her right breast and gently blew against it.

"Doctor," she moaned and arched up as his mouth enveloped her breast and his tongue swirled around and pressed flat against her sensitive skin. Her hands tangled in his hair and tugged as her breath hissed in response to his ministrations. He licked and kissed his way down her abdomen, his hands gliding down the sides of her body until her thighs were splayed before him.

"Rose," he murmured again, this time between her inner thighs, tantalizingly close to where she wanted his mouth, and then he rubbed his cheek against her skin, the delightful prickly sensation causing her to cry out.

"My Rose," he said in a voice intended for seduction, his hot breath against her inner thigh. "Tell me, who do you want?"

Rose shifted and writhed against the coverlet, trying to arch closer to his mouth, her hands fisting into the fabric of the bedding. "Want you, only you," she groaned.

He nipped her and lightly trailed his fingers up her thighs and dipped into her warmth, swirling caressing her folds, teasing and gliding. "Which me?" he asked as he spread her for his inspection. He leaned down between her thighs and inhaled before nuzzling her and flicking his tongue on that one sweet spot that would set her aflame.

She cursed and bit her lip, squirming in delight. "This you, my you, my Doctor!" she gasped.

He hummed and his tongue dipped, glided and pressed against her intimately. His fingers slid deeper inside of her swirling and dancing and showing her how well he knew her. She was his and he proved this through each stroke of tongue and fingers.

He revelled in her taste, tapping into their bond and immersing himself in her. The thrum of her pulse against his tongue, the sweet and salty taste of her, and the sound of her whimpers all stoked his own fire. The orgasm built in her and he felt the first signs of her quivering shooting a shiver down his spine. He was doing this to her, giving her pleasure, and he felt such satisfaction when she screamed for him, her thighs clenching around his head, and called out his name.

As she lay relaxed and sated, her breathing started to calm as he crawled up her body, their legs tangling together, and laid a soft kiss on her lips. Rose reached over and dragged her fingers through his hair and he rested his forehead on her shoulder, giving her better access. They stayed that way, each just enjoying being with the other, having this quiet moment.

"I love you," she said softly, finally breaking the silence.

He looked up at her. "Promise me the next time we argue, and there will be a next time, we both know that because well I am me and you, you're my stubborn…."

"Doctor," Rose warned but with a smile more than annoyance.

He sighed. "Yes, well just promise me, you'll think of us here like this and know that no matter what, you are my Rose, everything I need and don't ever question that."

Rose smiled at him. He reached over and tangled his fingers in her hair. "You are Rose Tyler and she is brave, strong and so much more than a creature of time. It's the human part of you that makes you so brilliant."

She leaned in to kiss him when suddenly she heard an insane laugh. She glanced to the side and out of the corner of her eye, saw a dark shadowy reflection in a mirror and she gasped.

The Doctor felt the moment fear shot through her. He jerked up and immediately turned, placing her behind him as he felt his skin prickle with warning.

"What?" he snapped.

"I saw it again," she answered, her voice shaking just the slightest.

"Saw what?" he demanded.

"The dark hooded man or something humanoid at least," she replied and began tugging at the blanket wanting to cover herself.

He turned and stared at her, concern and a simmering anger at the thought that something would dare stalk her and in his own TARDIS. "Tell me everything."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank again to Littlewhomouse who had wonderful suggestions! This chapter: They start figuring things out, cross some time lines and find an incarnation of the Corsair who might be able to help them :)

The Doctor slid out of bed and grabbed his sonic, never taking his eyes off the mirror atop the Earth-like mahogany dresser. Rose clung to the blankets, her fingers clenched into the bed linens as she watched him walk over and examine it. She trembled slightly as she remembered the mad laughter she'd heard when she'd seen the cloaked image. It struck her as familiar yet she couldn't place it. All she was sure of was that it frightened her.

Standing nude before the mirror, the Doctor aimed the sonic at the frame and sighed. He turned to Rose on the bed. There was fear reflected in her eyes. She looked vulnerable as she wrapped the blanket around her, her gaze focused on the mirror. Walking over to her, he dropped the sonic on the bed and looked down at his clothing littering the floor.

"It's safe. There's nothing there."

Rose nodded silently and slipped out of bed at his assurance. She walked to their wardrobe cautiously opening the door and peering inside as if she expected some dark force to jump out and grab her. When it didn't, she mentally shook herself and reached in for her jeans and top.

The Doctor observed her. It wasn't that he was angry at her as much as he was annoyed she'd kept something from him. As he bent down to retrieve his clothing, the thought that he was being hypocritical occurred to him. He pulled on his trousers, his mood turning fouler. It wasn't just that Rose hadn't told him something. This was more about something inside of him snapping at the idea that Rose had been in danger on _his_ TARDIS - that something had breached his security measures and hunted her.

He scrubbed at his face after he fastened his trousers and turned to her. "Rose, I need you tell me what you've been seeing."

Rose nodded as she zipped up her jeans and told him about the dark shadowy figure she kept glimpsing in the mirror. He was quiet and still as he listened - never a good sign.

When she finished, he jammed his arms into his shirt and practically ripped the buttons off his oxford as he fastened them. His entire body was tense as he turned to stare at the mirror, practically willing it to disintegrate with the intensity of his gaze.

Rose felt his mind delve into that cold, dark place, where that part of him that was a defender, a killer and a man who would do anything necessary to protect her existed. It worried her when she felt him sink into this aspect of himself.

As he violently fastened his tie, he turned to her. "You should have told me this the first time it happened." His voice was clipped and cold. Rose swore she felt the room temperature drop to match his mood. When he was like this, it was ten times worse than his typical angry accusations.

She finished slipping on her black boots over her jeans. "I thought I was just seeing things that weren't there. Just my imagination getting the better of me."

He marched forward a few steps and reached down for his sonic lying on the bed. He aimed it again at the rectangular black framed mirror. He stared at the sonic before pocketing it and turning to her. "And the second time?"

Rose crossed her arms now feeling defensive. "Sorry, but we were in some dodgy pirate town at night and you were being all jealous of yourself and things were a little tense. There was lots of weird stuff going on. For all I knew it was just some drunk pirate or some bloke plotting to rob us."

He scrubbed at his face as he paced back in forth in front of her. With a slight growl, he whipped around - his jaw clenched and his eyes dark fathomless pits of anger.

"This is us!" he said in a cutting voice. "There are no coincidences and it's never just your imagination. You are far more in tune with time and you perceive things others cannot. You might even be more alert to things than _I_ am. Everything is important and especially if it's on our TARDIS."

Rose swallowed hard as she felt his emotions bubbling out - fury, irritation and a need to protect. "But nothing can get on the TARDIS. It's got shielding and…" she said softly, trailing off.

"It would have to be something that operates outside of time and space using dimensional transcendental technology to slip through. Perhaps not physically, but if it was powerful enough, it could hack through the communications array and project an avatar or residual image of itself," he said in a cold, emotionless tone, not looking at her. He rolled his shoulders and shut his eyes letting out a long breath. Walking over to the mirror, he began massaging his temples as if digging through his mind looking for an answer.

"What is powerful enough to do that? I didn't think anything could and especially not in the Vortex," Rose responded, nervously rubbing hands on her jeans as she watched him and now feeling a touch paranoid. She'd always felt safe in the TARDIS, but now she knew, her home and security could be violated. This thing or person had been watching them in their bedroom; watching her undress; observing them in bed as the Doctor made love to her. She felt her insides twist. It saw their most intimate moments and things she only ever wanted to share with the Doctor but now some strange creature knew what only her husband should know about her.

The Doctor stilled, his arms dropping to his sides. "The Corsair," he breathed and then ran for the corridor. Rose rushed after him calling out his name. She found him in the console room, looking at monitors, aiming the sonic at various bits and bobs on the console and slamming switches.

"Doctor, what could do this and is it here now?" Rose demanded and looked nervously over her shoulder at the corridor.

He paused and stared at the Corsair's gold key sitting in a container with wires affixed to it.

"It's connected. It has to be," he said in a soft voice and looked over at Rose. "We've been focused on finding the Corsair but we should have been thinking about what or who is attacking his timeline."

Rose walked slowly up to the console and gripped the edge, gazing down at the key and beginning to comprehend what he was getting at.

"You think the thing I saw is what's after the Corsair, that it was taking a peek in on us?" she asked, swallowing hard and gazing down at the grating into the depths of the TARDIS wondering if something evil lurked in the crevices and places hidden from view.

"Someone or something is attacking his timeline, Rose. That would take a being familiar with temporal manipulation as well as someone who knows the Corsair. In other words, this isn't some smuggler or standard pirate he's crossed. This is much, much bigger, someone more familiar with the Corsair's life, the life of a Time Lord," he murmured staring up at the Time Rotor deep in thought.

Rose felt something tighten inside of herself as she thought about what the Doctor said. This wasn't just about a case of stolen whiskey or a drunken brawl or even overthrowing some evil plan of some greedy despot. This was _bad_. "Yeah and it's someone watching us… this whatever knows we're trying to help the Corsair," she said as she stepped back from the console and nervously chewed on her thumbnail.

The Doctor focused on Rose. "What did you say?" he asked in a quiet serious voice.

Rose's eyes widened and she looked the Doctor in the eye. "It knows us. It knows we're connected to the Corsair. What if…what if it's not about the Corsair at all? This, thing's been attacking the Corsair's timeline. It's trying to unmake him and anything he's involved with, maybe anyone he's helped. There aren't many aliens that could do that. What if…"

The Doctor whipped around and slammed his fist onto the console and growled, "I've been so bloody stupid!" His eyes narrowed at the key. "The Corsair has been around longer than me. His timeline intersects at several key points, fixed points even. If they unmake the Corsair, go back in his timeline and alter it, countless lives are affected. I mean he and I…" He paused. "No, they can't. If his life is erased and he and I don't meet…"

He turned to look at Rose, horror and fear reflected in his eyes. "The Corsair was there with me in the Time War. He saved my life and helped me. Rose, he helped me to make better choices than I would have. He stopped me from tipping over the edge and doing things…things that most can barely conceive of."

Rose walked over to him and pulled him close to her, resting her head against his shoulder. "He helped keep you steady just like he helped me. If the Corsair wasn't on Earth when I arrived, it could change things." She shivered at the possibility of the Doctor's life being so much darker, more hopeless or more violent. Rose stiffened as a thought occurred to her.

"Doctor, maybe them watching us isn't so much about how close we're getting to the Corsair. Maybe they've been watching to see how we react, how altering the Corsair's time line is affecting us?"

The Doctor looked at her and more of his inner darkness seeped out. "It's not about the Corsair," he said, repeating what she'd said earlier. He pulled away from her and walked around the console. Cold waves of rage vibrated around him. "He's my friend, our friend and how many times has someone tried to harm us or take you from me?" he whispered in an icy deadly voice that would leave most beings scurrying away in terror.

Rose felt pinpricks deep inside of herself, fear for the Doctor, for the Corsair and the three of them. "But who and why?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around herself and looked all around the console room as if she expected some apparition to manifest and taunt them with its evil plan.

The Doctor snorted. "Who? Are you kidding me? Who doesn't want to destroy us or rip us apart? How many people, aliens and humans alike, have we pissed off?"

"But you said it had to be someone with time travel knowledge and technology. And we know they've taken a peek at us in the TARDIS. That narrows it down."

He turned to her overwhelmed by his need to protect and possess her. Yanking her into his arms, he held her tight against his chest, shutting eyes tightly as he vibrated with anger and his need to prevent anyone from taking her from him. He inhaled and released a shaky breath feeling her wrapping herself around him and focusing on their bond to reassure him.

"Yes, it does narrow down the playing field just a bit," he agreed.

"Time Lords," Rose said softly into his chest. She knew he had discounted Romana, but that didn't mean there weren't other Time Lords out for vengeance.

The Doctor paused for a moment. "Not Gallifrey," he finally said. "Even if the Council bypassed Romana and enacted some secret protocol, this isn't their way." He barked out a bitter laugh. "Bypassing Romana wouldn't work anyway. She has her own spies and would know. And if she knew, she'd have gotten word to us.

"No, the Council isn't clever enough to perpetrate something like this. They're nothing but a bunch of politicians. There would have been formal hearings, speeches, condemnations and all that bureaucratic rubbish they love so much. This isn't anything official and doesn't have the mark of the Celestial Intervention Agency on it. This is someone else."

"One of the renegade Time Lords that helped us with Gallifrey? None of them were overly fond of us and few may have issues with us," she reminded him.

The Doctor pondered this, his arms tightening around her. "Berneyi likes her assassinations a bit more physical and likes to watch. Clepsydra is too posh to dirty his hands like this."

Rose rested her cheek listening to his hearts beat. Her brow furrowed. "What about that creep Mortimus? Seems like he was the first to run from Gallifrey while we did all the fighting."

"He could do this and has been known to interfere with timelines to destroy anything he perceived as a danger to himself and his interests, but my instincts are telling me it's not him. It just doesn't feel like his manipulations. No, this is someone who is making it personal."

"The Rani?" Rose asked. "Wouldn't be the first time she's had a go at us and if the Corsair hadn't been on Earth when she was there… Who knows what would have happened."

"Maybe," the Doctor mused, but he didn't seem too keen on the Rani as a suspect and then he stiffened. "The Master," he whispered and rage filled him.

Rose felt the power vibrating off of him and felt their bond flare with possessive emotions. He spun away from her and stared up at the Time Rotor.

"He escaped Gallifrey after we thwarted his plans. The Corsair was there and saved my life; those two never got on. He blames us for stopping him and this is just the sort of thing he'd do," the Doctor spat out.

Rose walked up to the console, her fingers trailing around the coral edge. "Yeah, but somehow I don't think this thing I've been seeing is the Master," Rose commented, her eyes unfocused as she thought about the cloaked figure. For some reason, it didn't make her think of the Master although the mad laughter she heard did have a certain Mastery maniacal ring to it. She shivered when she thought about the cloaked figure, what it was or what it symbolized.

She didn't know what bothered her more, the dark cloaked image or idea of what was hidden beneath the cloak. There was something there at the edge of her perceptions, some ominous feeling, but she couldn't pin down what it was that gave her that uncomfortable sensation.

The Doctor was so focused on the key and setting coordinates that he paid no mind to Rose's present misgivings. He was confident he knew who was behind this. All of his anger and rage were now focused on an opponent, an enemy to target.

"The TARDIS has located the Corsair's signal," he explained, shaking Rose out of her thoughts.

"But Doctor, the thing I saw…"

"The Master was always one for the melodramatics. No doubt he was attempting to spy on us so he could gloat," he snorted. "Especially, focusing on you, trying to frighten you," he added, a hard edge to his voice. "And for that he will pay."

"Doctor, don't," Rose warned. She had to keep him calm and not allow his emotions to get in the way. "We have to focus on helping the Corsair first. We both saw what the Master did to those Time Lords on Gallifrey, regenerating them over and over again until…" Rose paused. "We can't let that happen to the Corsair and to do that we've got to keep a clear head."

The Doctor took a deep breath. She was right. Once again, she had helped ground him and reeled him back in from the abyss. He needed to focus on the mission at hand: Find the Corsair and stop the damage to his timeline. As he set them to materialize, he felt a tickle at the back of his mind as though he was missing something, something important. He tried to shrug it off, but it wouldn't go away.

When they landed, he grabbed his coat and paused at the door.

Rose was behind him. "Something wrong?"

He turned to her. "Honestly, yes."

"Do you know what it is? I mean is the Master out there?"

He closed his eyes and furrowed his brow. "The timelines are muddling."

Rose zipped up her black leather coat. "I feel something weird too. It's like an echo or something."

The Doctor turned to the door and frowned. Rose put a hand on his arm. He was right and yet she felt like they had to go out there. In fact, something was calling to her, pushing her forward. It was that golden presence she couldn't ignore even when she knew trouble was ahead.

The Doctor looked down at her as if he too could feel it. He nodded his head and opened the door. The minute they stepped out, Rose recognized where they were. Maluga Four. She winced remembering the bar, The Flying Dutchman, along with a certain prison cell she, the Doctor and Corsair had been tossed into after a bar brawl. That had been ages ago, before the fight on Gallifrey.

The door shut behind them and Rose looked at the Doctor to find him scowling and rubbing his temples.

"Tell me we're not crossing our own timelines," Rose begged, her own head beginning to throb.

"What do you think?" he asked curtly and sighed.

"I thought that key was supposed to help!"

"Well apparently not," he snipped and began looking around at where they were. It appeared to be a storage cupboard of some sort. He cracked open the door and groaned.

Rose peeked around him. "We're in that prison, aren't we?"

His grip on the door tightened.

"We got separated from the Corsair that day. Maybe it's because we, I mean future us were here," Rose suggested.

"No! We are not doing this! It was dangerous enough in Port Royal but this involves not just me but the two of us. We cannot…"

Rose gritted her teeth as the Doctor started his lecture. She could feel her head already throbbing, which she assumed was due to being so close to younger her, and with timelines vibrating around her, it was enough to set her on edge. "Bugger that! We're here for a reason!"

He whipped around and stood over her, the imposing arrogant Time Lord. "We're here because the Corsair's signal is rubbish and his timeline is warping! We need to go back and try again!"

"And what if we keep crossing timelines? What if it all unravels while we keep at it? What if the Corsair…" Rose trailed off and the Doctor's eyes darkened. She rubbed her temples.

"Look, we have another version of the Corsair out there and one that's closer in the timeline to the one that's in trouble. She knows us already and maybe she can help us figure it out."

"This is a _monumentally_ bad plan," he growled at her.

"Yeah, well, it's the best we've got. It's not just crossed timelines we're feeling here, is it?"

He looked away. "We'll fix this. I won't let anything happen to the Corsair or us," he reiterated.

She wrapped her arm around him. "I know you won't, but you can't turn away from this." His jaw clenched in response.

"We should not be here," he said with a bite to his voice.

"I know but we are and we have to make the best of it. Time Lord or not, time is running out. I feel it."

He sighed and grumbled, "Fine, but we cannot run into younger us!"

"We won't. We know what happens and what to do avoid other us. Besides, I have this brilliant bloke with me who I hear is good with timelines," she teased. He looked down at her and tried not to smile.

He cleared his throat. "You have to do exactly as I say. No arguments!" he insisted. "This is important, Rose."

She nodded. "Yeah, I know. Don't care to cause another paradox. One was enough, thanks."

He stared at her long and hard, getting glimpses of a memory from her and feeling her horror and absolute misery and sadness. He filed it away for discussion at another time. "Let's go," he said and yanked her out the door with him.

Once they emerged from the supply closet into the corridor, another wave of pain drilled through Rose's head and she swore she heard the echo of her own voice arguing with the Doctor as they escaped the prison cell. She felt her Doctor's hand tighten in her own. "We don't have to do this," he reminded her.

Rose inhaled and felt something push her forward. "Yeah, we do," she responded and encouraged him to move on. They crept down the dimly light grey stone walled corridor. Every once in a while, the foul stench of the prison would envelope them and Rose would turn her head away trying to escape it. She'd almost forgotten how horrible the scent of misery and death was in this place. But then another memory flashed before her, one of dirty, miserable children incarcerated in the worst conditions imaginable and how she had raged at her Doctor to fix it. He had refused at the time.

But, this was different. They were already here in more ways than one. Besides, now these children's lives mattered more to her. Perhaps it was because she knew there was a child out there that was a part of her and she hadn't met him or could see if he was okay. These children, however, she could help and would. With that thought, a steely determination filled her and she strode forward with confidence.

"Rose, that's not part of the plan," the Doctor reminded her, his voice indicative of his displeasure at her thoughts, which he clearly had glimpsed. "Our purpose here is to find the Corsair and sort her future self."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we can't help some other people along the way," Rose reminded him. "Besides, you owe me for what you did."

"What I did!" he whispered in a furious voice. "I thought we resolved this!"

"No, we figured out you were being overprotective of me and not trusting me to understand and then you promised to introduce me. But since we haven't had time, we're doing this to make up for you going off to do the looming thing on your own."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him along, taking the lead and ignoring his complaints.

"We are here for the Corsair!" he gritted out one final time after she paused at a crossroads of corridors, sniffing at the air and wrinkling her nose.

"Rose!" he growled and spun her around by her shoulders. "Now is not the time! We could run into other us!"

Rose stared off over his shoulder. "No, we passed the kids and we're arguing trying to find a way out," she explained as if she could see it. She then focused on him. "And we _are_ doing this. You said we could on the TARDIS after the last time we were here. That is, until we got all distracted with Time Lord stuff," she said, waving her hand and then turned and darted down a narrow, dimly lit corridor.

He muttered about stubborn, trouble seeking bond mates and followed her. "Rose, listen to me. That was different. I never would have risked doing something as foolish as this," he said in a harsh whisper as she stopped before a door.

She turned to him and crossed her arms. He shoved his hands in his pockets and paced around not looking at her.

"Go on, do your sonic thing," she demanded.

He whipped around and glared. "Why should I?" he snarled at her.

"Because it's the right thing to do and you know it."

He tugged at his hair, several lengthy arguments at the tip of his tongue and then he saw that look her in eyes, the _Rose Tyler Defender of the Downtrodden_ glint.

"Please," she asked softly. "If you do this, I promise I won't push on the looming thing until we have the Corsair sorted and can talk about it."

He stopped tugging at his hair and stared at her as she bit her lip and her eyes softened to that warm caramel colour when she wanted something important. He felt his annoyance begin to melt away. If there was one thing that crushed his resolve to not do something, it was seeing how she trusted him, the compassion in her eyes and the need to make something right. He knew this was about more than rescuing these children. It went deeper.

She was thinking about their child on Gallifrey. This was what he had worried about. Now she knew of their offspring, she'd focus on it, demand to see him and develop an attachment and these sorts of feelings.

Part of him was already raging about her humany predilection to love an offspring she'd never met and another part of him loved her for it. Even after everything they'd been through, she still had that special part of her that was focused on the good. She accepted that her child was on Gallifrey being raised in the tradition of his people without her and yet, she still felt connected. He could see it in her, that need to do something and if not for their child, then for these children. She needed to do this.

With a protracted sigh and a roll of his eyes, he aimed his sonic at several doors and freed the dirty and miserable imprisoned children who, when they realized there were no guards, streamed by them running off through the prison and toward their freedom.

The Doctor looked over to find Rose smiling as she walked over to throw her arms around him.

"Thank you. I know you didn't want to, but you know it was the right thing. Besides, I think this might have been a distraction that helped us escape."

He pulled back and looked at her and shook his head. "Only you, through some completely mad temporal logic and misplaced emotional need for our offspring, would find a way to free others and ourselves in the middle of potential paradox."

She grinned. "I love you too, Doctor. Now come on, let's find the Corsair."

Leaving behind the sound of laughing and shouting children, they quickly and carefully made their way down the corridor, narrowly avoiding some of the aggravated guards. Rose stuck close to the Doctor as he muttered in Gallifreyan and seemed to be focused on the Corsair in what Rose perceived as a Time Lord telepathy thing.

Suddenly, they heard guards shouting up ahead and ducked into an alcove. The Doctor plastered himself against Rose, pushing her against one of the grey stone walls so that they were hidden in the shadows.

She wrapped her arms around him underneath his long grey coat and buried her face against his chest, her cheek resting against his oxford. As she listened to the beat of his hearts, she couldn't help but wonder at how hard he was pinning her against the wall in perhaps a slightly more intense way than just hiding from the guards. After she heard pounding feet pass, she looked up at him and smiled.

"What?" he snapped. He was already irritated at crossing his own timeline much less evading guards. Technically, they'd already done this the last time they were there and in a bit of wibbley wobbley temporal twist, younger them were still doing it. Still, when she smiled at him like that and he felt her feelings curl through him via their bond, his irritation ebbed slightly.

Rose dug her nails into his back and gave him a seductive tongue teasing smile.

"Mmmmm, Just remembering another time we were here and plastered against a wall. Might have been a bit annoyed at you at the time but still…" she explained with a naughty glint to her eyes as she slid her hands up where her nails dug into his neck in a way he enjoyed.

He felt heat shoot through him. The danger of being caught mixed with sexual desire she vibrated through their bond fuelled his lust for her. His hand trailed down to her hip, his long fingers tracing over the denim where he knew a rose covered sonic tattoo was permanently scrawled on her hip. She moaned as she felt that slight pressure, her eyes closed remembering a few times his tongue at traced her tattoo just like that. She licked her lips imagining him tugging her jeans down and nestling…

The scent of her desire and her fantasizing about him made his toes curl in his trainers. He chuckled and shifted his hips, grinding against her, pinning her against the wall so she could feel how hard he was for her.

"Oh yes, I remember this," he said in a voice that promised far more than memories. "In fact, I seem to recall that I promised you'd be begging me for more when we returned to the TARDIS," he said in a guttural voice his breath tickling her ear.

Rose looked up at him, her eyes deepening to an umber flecked with gold. She clawed her hands into his back and tugged him to her into a deep and passionate snog. He moaned into her mouth as he felt her tongue slide against his own and her leg wrap around his hip as she ground against him. Slamming a hand on the rough stone of the wall, he shoved her against it hard.

Just as his other hand yanked the zipper on her jeans down, a voice interrupted them. "Don't you two ever stop? I mean it's better than the bloody domestics and bickering from earlier but…wait a minute. You're not…" The Corsair who had similarly ducked into the alcove paused, her brown eyes widening. "Flibitty biscuits! You know better than this! Crossing your own timeline! For what? A little nostalgic fornicatin' with the Flower?"

The Doctor groaned and exhaled, trying to get control and reign in his present amorous state.

"Oi, we were not…" he trailed off as the Corsair, hand on her hip, glared at him.

"We were here looking for you," he huffed, unhappy at being interrupted even if it was by the one person they were there to find.

Rose peeked around him, her hair mussed and her face flushed. "Good to see you, Corsair," she said with a grin.

The Corsair narrowed her eyes. "Flower, not that it's been long since we saw each other but…wait, you were lookin' for me? Funny way you two have of trackin' me down but then…"

They heard guards shout and Rose grabbed the Doctor's and the Corsair's hands. "Run!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of this chapter was quite fun to write and may hint at something important ;)

_The Corsair narrowed her eyes. "Flower, not that it's been long since we saw each other but…wait, you were lookin' for me? Funny way you two have of trackin' me down but then…"_

_They heard guards shout and Rose grabbed the Doctor's and the Corsair's hands. "Run!"_

The three took off pounding down the dimly lit corridor as the sound of the guards' footsteps and shouts echoed behind them in the narrow stone halls. They made a few sharp turns as they evaded capture, skidding to a halt as they ran head on into the crowd of escaping children. The Corsair shot a stern look at the Doctor and Rose as the children streamed by on their way to freedom. Soon, they ducked into the supply closet and into the TARDIS.

As the Doctor tossed his coat onto a coral strut, the Corsair walked confidently in towards the console where the key to her TARDIS was sitting. Her eyes zeroed in on it. She was already feeling itchy as timelines shifted around, but seeing her key in the Doctor's TARDIS, pushed her over the edge.

Suspicion and anger raged within her and she whipped around towards them, her long black coat flaring revealing her multi coloured waist coat beneath and showing off her ample curves encased in her typical white ruffled shirt and brown breeches. Her eyes were glittering with anger and her white feathered hat shook as she began to rant at them.

"You two gettin' friendly in some dark corner of the prison is one thing, crossing timelines damn stupid, but that's my TARDIS key!" she shouted, pointing at the key. "You tell me right now what's goin' on or by the Kostar Nebula I will rip it out of both of your hides!"

"Now see here, you gave us that key," the Doctor retorted, pointing at her and scowling. "Well, not this you, but the point is if you think I'm stealing it -"

"Wouldn't be the first time!" the Corsair snipped and took an ominous step toward him.

Rose felt the tension ramped up like a volcano about to explode and stepped in between the two raging Time Lords and faced the Corsair. "He's telling the truth. Another you gave it to us, to me, in Port Royal on Earth," she said sternly, attempting to capture the Corsair's attention and calm her down.

The Corsair paused and stared hard at Rose. "This isn't the first time you've crossed my timeline," she said, her mind racing. Then she stuck her chin up and practically growled. "Why the hell don't I remember it?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

"Because you couldn't," Rose reasoned and walked over to the jump seat to sit down for what she was sure was going to be a lengthy conversation.

The Doctor stepped around them, glaring at the key before turning to the Corsair. "Don't be a cranak pel casacree salvak! Of course you don't remember!" he snapped. "You hadn't met Rose yet and to keep timelines straight, you couldn't! And a fat lot of good this bloody key did us anyway!" He slapped his hand on the console in emphasis.

The Corsair looked from him to Rose. "What's really going on here?" she demanded with suspicion. She looked pointedly at Rose as if she knew the Doctor wouldn't give her a straight answer.

Rose sighed and leaned back against the jump seat. "Someone's attacking your timeline. We're trying to find current you, I mean the you that's in our current linear timeline, but we're having trouble finding that you."

"This key was supposed to help us," the Doctor added and snorted as he leaned against the console.

The Corsair took her hat off, ran a hand through her dark curly hair and paced deep in thought. "Thought I might have felt something," she finally admitted. "Just thought it was Omicrex and his dallying about with the web of time."

"Well it could have…" Rose started to say but stopped and bit her lip. She had to be careful what she revealed. Too many timelines were at stake. This was a younger Corsair, one that would play an important part in not just freeing Gallifrey but saving her Doctor from the Master in the battle for Gallifrey."

The Corsair leaned against the pilot's chair near Rose and smiled at her. "You've grown, Flower. You're still the lovely Rose I first met, but I can see it now, a deeper connection to time and to this old scallywag," she continued, tilting her head at the Doctor who frowned at her.

The Corsair ran her fingertips over a duct tape covered spot on the jump seat and shook her head, looking at the Doctor with raised eyebrows before facing Rose. "So you're sayin' younger me gave you my key and without you revealing yourself? Must have been quite some persuadin' you did!" The Corsair winked at her.

Rose giggled swinging her legs over the edge of the seat. "Yeah, not quite like that but you understood we were trying to help. Course, the Doctor here may have made younger you a bit cranky, but that was mainly 'cos he knocked younger him out for flirting with me."

The Doctor pushed off the console and strode a few steps forward. "That's enough! Can we please focus on the present problem? Timelines are at stake!"

The Corsair laughed and then stilled. "Ya know, I sort of remember something about a bar brawl, me havin' to carry himself out and…" She paused her eyes widening before she grinned. "Storming Sea Maggots! You're Calypso!"

Rose blushed. "You're not supposed to remember that."

The Corsair laughed again and slapped her thigh. The Doctor clenched his jaw and looked ready to blow his temporal lobe until the Corsair finally calmed.

"No worries Flower, tis only a vague memory and one tinged by a bit of illicit whiskey!" She grinned again and put her hat back on. "Now that we got that settled, let's focus on what's mucking about with my timeline."

"Finally!" the Doctor groused, turning back to the console.

The Corsair and the Doctor focused on readings from the key and the Corsair's timeline. They both cursed, bickered and slammed a few controls. Finally, they worked out some calculation that the Corsair assured both of them would work.

Rose had watched the two of them from the pilot chair. Her thoughts raced, thinking about all that had happened - the Corsair, all three of the regenerations she'd met; his and her relationship with Rose and the Doctor; the importance of how their timelines intertwined and the danger to not just them, but the universe if things weren't righted. Even though the two of them were looking pleased with themselves and their cleverness, Rose still felt a tingle that something wasn't right.

The Doctor turned to her. "What?" he asked sharply, slightly irritated but still concerned.

Rose shook her head. "Nothing, it's nothing. Just worried and want to get this sorted."

"I told you earlier, if you see something, you need to tell me. There are no coincidences."

The Corsair leaned against the console. "What troubles you, Flower?"

Rose leaned back against the seat and stared off into the distance before turning to the two Time Lords before her. "It's just… I feel like we're missing something."

"Like who's tryin' to pillage my timeline?"

"We know that," the Doctor informed her. "It's the Master."

"What? That pain in the arse, boot licking son of a star maggot! Why in the hell would he do that? Me and him may have had a few run-ins and not of the nicest variety. Maybe I booted his arse into a couple of prison cells or infected his TARDIS with Screeching Felspoonian Beatles, but he'd hardly go to this much trouble to…" She paused. "Wait. This is future me. Don't tell me I finally had enough and really kicked his arse?"

Rose began chewing on her thumb nail, afraid of what to say. She looked at the Doctor who was pinching the bridge of his nose looking pained at how complicated crossed timelines could be.

The Corsair shook her head. "Don't want to know, do I? In fact, I'll be needin' to forget this little meetin' won't I?

"It would be best," the Doctor agreed with a sigh.

The Corsair stomped around the console muttering complaints before agreeing. She looked over at Rose again. "You know, it could be a few others. I've been no angel, that's for certain. There are a few Time Lords who'd love to see me suffer or meet a more permanent ending if you know what I mean. So don't put all your eggs in that dark and sinister basket and especially if you got feelings that's something's missing."

"I am certain of this, Corsair. Rose and I worked it out," the Doctor informed her with a touch of haughty arrogance.

The Corsair shook her head. "All the more reason to keep an open mind. It's not like I only wee'd on a few Time Lords' plans. There're always others I could have annoyed without knowin' it."

Rose slipped off the jump seat and walked closer to the Corsair. "It has to be someone powerful, someone who can manipulate time - someone who could erase you," Rose finally said with hesitance.

The Corsair stared at her wide eyed and then turned to the Doctor, a more serious and grave look on her face, her eyes reflecting the millennia of years of a hard life lived. "Revenge is a dish best served cold. Old human saying and maybe a bit true." She took a step forward toward the console and looked up at the glowing time rotor. "I've crossed paths with a few fools, brilliant minded creatures, mad men and seen some of the most beautiful and horrific sights this universe has to offer and yet it can still boil down to petty vengeance." She turned to the Doctor. "Can't it old friend?" she asked, her voice reflecting a weariness.

"I will stop this. We will, Rose and I," the Doctor promised her, his voice firm and laced with a hard determination.

"And if you don't, you won't even remember this old pirate existed, now will you?" she said, smiling sadly. "Would be a damn shame to deny the universe a little bit of colour and spirited good times this old Time Lord added."

Rose stepped toward the Corsair wanting to assure the her they would save her, stop this, and that it wasn't her fault but something held her back. Something inside her bound her to where she stood, like this moment was important and anything she did or said could alter what must be.

The Corsair turned to Rose. "Don't you fret, Flower. No matter what happens, you and him are destined for each other." She tapped Rose on the nose eliciting a soft smile which faded quickly.

"I know what you're thinking and as much as I might boast and take the credit, t'wasn't my presence that made you stay with him. You'd have worked that out on your own just like he woulda found his way whether or not I was around constantly hauling his arse out of a couple of messes he made." She winked at the Doctor who had paled and looked away hitting a few switches on the console so that the TARDIS materialized near the Corsair's TARDIS.

"I'd best be going now. Got a few memories to finagle and a few prison guards to avoid." She walked over and placed her hands on Rose's shoulders. "You take care of that old scallywag. He needs you."

Rose had tears in her eyes as she nodded. "I will," she said with a broken voice. "And you be careful out there."

"None of that now. Can't leave you crying." The Corsair leaned into Rose and whispered into her ear.

"Just give me a hint. My next regeneration, am I a looker?"

Rose giggled and nodded her head, wiping tears off her face. "You're gorgeous!" she assured her as she walked the Corsair toward the door.

The Corsair laughed loudly. "I knew it!" She turned to the Doctor who was scowling. She grinned broadly at him and then leaned back into Rose. "Bet I'm prettier than him and he hates it!"

This made Rose laugh harder and with one last grin, the Corsair opened the door. She turned back toward them one final time. "I'll be lookin' forward to seeing you in my future. Till then," she said, whipped off her hat and bowed to them before boldly striding forth out of the TARDIS singing an old sea song.

Rose stared at the door for a while, smiling. It was good to see a version of the Corsair she knew so well. Part of her felt bad. She was sure none of this attack was the Corsair's fault. The Doctor had agreed the reason their friend had been targeted was due to her friendship with them and her importance in their lives. It was all the more reason that they resolve this soon.

As she turned from the door, she felt time slow, the console room dimmed until all that lit it was the glowing of the Time Rotor. A chill settled over her and her skin prickled. She looked around, but the Doctor was gone. She stumbled forward in the dimly lit console room, her heart thumping in her chest as she felt nothing but silence. She was alone.

Rose grasped for her bond to the Doctor but it wasn't there. "No," she whispered, in a trembling voice.

The silence in her mind was deafening and she sank to her knees on the cold grating. "No!" she repeated again. She gasped for breath and felt choked by fear.

"The Corsair…the timelines are shifting and… No, the Void ship, I'm still in the Void," she whispered, her eyes darting around as she remembered how the Doctor's mad family had set her adrift in the Void. She felt the cold press in on her and her whole body trembled. "Oh gawd, it was a dream, a hallucination. I didn't fall out of the Void and he didn't find me!"

She gripped her head, her nails biting into her scalp and began rocking back and forth whispering No over and over again. Tears leaked down her cheeks as terror that everything she'd thought she'd experienced - finding her other Doctor, her new Doctor coming for her, the Corsair, adventures, a loomed child…suddenly looked to be a lie.

She screamed in her mind for her Doctor, begging him to find her. There was nothing in response - only silence. Rose wept, her voice croaking out Doctor in a fervent prayer. The darkness and madness continued to crush downward on her.

And then just as she felt that shadow world, a purgatory of lost and fallen souls about to consume her, there was a whisper. It wasn't like the sinister whispers in the Void. This was calmer and less mad. "Do what must be done…" it suggested. "You can do anything, rip through the Void, defeat those that seek to control you, prove to the Time Lords you are a creature to be feared and respected."

A cool breeze caressed her face. Rose turned, trying to find whoever was talking to her but only saw darkened shadows and recesses where the TARDIS time rotor glow couldn't reach.

"Who are you? What do you want?" she demanded in a voice that was stronger than she felt.

It laughed. "Only what you want," it taunted.

"I just want to get back to my Doctor."

"Unleash the wolf…"

Rose felt something inside of herself growl with anger. Someone was trying to manipulate her. "Who are you?" she asked again with a bit more bite to her voice.

"If you love him, nothing will stand in your way, not the Void, time or space nor anyone or thing," the voice purred.

Rose stood up, her shoulders back and her eyes almost glowing. "You want to see what power is? Want to see what I can do. That's it isn't it? You think you can push me to what? Rip apart the Void, endanger the multiverse and risk billions of lives? Guess that means you want to catch a lift with me while I punch a hole in reality?" Rose shook her head smirking. "I don't think so."

She looked down for a moment and closed her eyes reaching deep within herself to that tiny bit of time bound up inside of her. She looked into it and it looked into her and she saw time splinter, saw alternatives, the Doctor, the Corsair, a young brown haired man with green eyes, Gallifrey, darkness, fire, destruction, herself, a Goddess unleashing chaos and she wasn't alone. Someone was with her but she couldn't see the person's face. She opened her eyes. "No."

She walked up to the unmoving time rotor and laid a hand on the icy console. "No," she repeated. "Even if I spend eternity locked in the Void, I won't give you what you want. I won't be a destroyer of all that life."

"You will…" it promised in a dark silky voice.

Rose shook her head. "No, I really won't. I'll end myself first and don't think I can't do that." She turned around, looking into the darkness that was creeping in around her. "You're in my head, trying to get me to do what you want, but it's not going to work."

"You will lose them: your Time Lord and the other and oh so much more," it promised.

Rose paused, staring out into the abyss hovering near her. She didn't know what this was only that it wanted destruction and wanted her to do it. Then she smiled and thought of how she'd seen time splinter into possibilities. "I'm not in the Void. You're the one that's been watching me. You know we're close to the Corsair, to saving him."

It chuckled. "You will unleash the wolf willingly…for love," it promised. Rose saw someone in the shadows, a young man, but she couldn't see his face. She watched in horror as dark tendrils wrapped around him. He held out his hand toward her and she felt a deep compulsion to grasp his hand. Just as she reached for him, everything cracked and shattered around her.

"Rose!" a voice shouted and hands gripped her shoulders shaking her hard. Suddenly, there was light everywhere. She squinted and looked up to find the Doctor cradling her in his arms, his warm brown eyes reflecting his concern.

"Doctor," she croaked out and threw her arms around him, burying her face in his jacket.

When she pulled away from him, she looked around her brow furrowed. "What happened?"

He looked pale, worried and there was a glint of fear in his eyes. "The Corsair left. You walked toward the door staring out and wouldn't respond to me. Then, you collapsed." His hands shook. "I…I couldn't feel you; you disappeared from my mind," he confessed, his voice breaking and he yanked her to him burying his face in her neck.

"I couldn't feel you. You were right there in front of me except you weren't. Your eyes were vacant; your spark was gone as if someone had scooped out your essence. They stole you from me in our TARDIS," he mumbled into her before pulling back, breathing hard and examining every inch of her face as if to inventory every bit of her.

Rose swallowed and looked at him; the memories of what happened to her were fading. She focused on them grabbing onto them as tightly as she could. Her brow furrowed and she touched her temple with one hand.

"There was something in my head. It's fading, I can't…"

"What?" the Doctor asked in a tight voice, fury enveloping him that anyone or thing would attack his Rose.

"I was on the TARDIS but…you were gone," she whispered in a shaky voice and clung to him tighter. "No wait, I was in the Void but something was there with me - it was whispering to me. It wanted me to…"

"To what?" he demanded, pulling away from her so he could look into her eyes.

Rose opened her mouth but no words came out. She blinked her eyes and furrowed her brow trying to remember.

"Show me!" He commanded and tried to slip into her mind but met resistance.

"Rose you have to let me in and show me!" he demanded, his fingers biting into her shoulders.

"I…I can't. It's like their gone, the memories. All I have is feelings now, horrible feelings like something cold and slimy walked over my grave."

He yanked her into his arms again and held her tight, focusing on their telepathic bond until he could slip into her mind and comfort her, filling her with his love and warm feelings.

As she relaxed against him, he traced her memories and found a scar. Something had been there.

He shut his eyes tight and controlled his breathing trying to tamp down his rage at whatever had violated her. He needed to focus. Rose needed him. He slipped further into her mind soothing her and trying to grasp at any residue of whatever being could rip into her mind, break past her telepathic defences and tear her away from him. Gently he probed her for any sign of whatever evil presence had interfered with their bond and sequestered her essence whilst tapping into her greatest fears - being lost in the Void and losing him.

Her breathing evened out and he felt the adrenalin from her panic ease.

"It'll be all right," he promised, rubbing small circles on her back.

As he comforted her, he knew it delayed them from finding the Corsair. They needed to focus on the new modified trace on the Corsair's signal, but he couldn't leave her like this and wasn't ready to let her out of his arms. As traumatized as she was, so was he.

He'd lost her right in front of him in a place she should have been safe. It had shaken him, reminded him of when she'd been ripped from him before and the dark fury it unleashed within him.

As he looked at her, pale and vulnerable cradled in his arms, fear and dread shivered through him. He could have lost her. She should be safe on the TARDIS.

Soon, heat raged through him, anger and fury followed along with an underlying vengeance for any who dared harm his Rose. She tempered him, that which he had tucked away deep in a corner of himself, the fury, madness, cold killer and destroyer of worlds. Without her - he shuddered as he thought about the person he could be.

This was now even more personal and he was done being patient and cautious. He had thought this was the Master and perhaps that mad Time Lord played a part, but now he wondered if it went deeper than that. Looking at the glorious woman now asleep in his arms, his mind whirled with the possibilities.

Someone was trying to destroy his family. That was a mistake. He stood up and carried her to the pilot seat and gently laid her across. He covered her with his coat and leaned down to kiss her lightly on the cheek, murmuring a promise to take care of this.

As his lips pressed to her soft skin, a golden glow filled his mind. There had been a time the wolf had flowed into him and he had been time's vessel. Now, it revealed that something had tried to use Rose, use it, and that made a certain bad wolf very unhappy. The Doctor closed his eyes and breathed. They had been moved like chess pieces across a board in a very deadly game and now it was time to end it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to Littlewhomouse who had such great suggestions for this chapter :) This is one of those times I wish there was music paired with my chapter as it would be epic and emotional due to the scene at the end.
> 
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it!

Rose awakened curled up on the pilot seat listening to the TARDIS hum and the Doctor mutter in frustration. She licked her lips and winced at the pain in her head. Opening her eyes, she squinted as she looked around disoriented.

"Doctor?" she called out, her voice sleepy and a little hoarse.

He turned to her, his eyes momentarily reflecting something dark and fierce but then softening as he gazed at her. As he walked over, she sat up clutching his coat to her. She reached a hand up to rub at her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" he asked in a voice with a slight hard edge to it as he took his coat and tossed it over a strut.

"Fine I think. Why? Did I fall asleep while you and the Corsair…" she paused. "The Corsair was here and then she left and then…" She bit her lip. "It's kind of foggy. What happened?" She became more alarmed as she attempted to focus in on her memories and found nothing but darkness. She looked up at him, her eyes widening in panic. "Why don't I remember?"

Cupping her face with one hand, he looked into her eyes, his own masking something and guarding his feelings from her. "Something attacked you."

"What!" she exclaimed and hopped off the seat, swaying a bit and feeling as if she was back on the boat on the Kraon sea and the floor shifting beneath her feet. She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned back against the seat until the dizziness passed. After a moment, she steadied herself and looked back at him. "What do you mean?"

"Take it easy," he chastised her. "I don't know what it was but it somehow accessed your mind while you stood at the doors saying goodbye to the Corsair." His eyes hardened. "It was strong. Far stronger than the Master," he informed her, clenching his jaw. "This was something else."

Rose wobbled a bit staring up at him, trying to feel out what he meant but getting very little from him. She wasn't used to that. It was usually easy for her to get an inkling of his mood. She pushed off the seat and slipped her arms around him, resting her cheek against his chest. "Why don't I remember?"

Wrapping his arms around her, he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent, reassuring himself she was there and his. "I don't think it wanted you to remember. As far as I can tell, it was intent on isolating you in your own mind, plunging you into some nightmares."

"For what reason?" Rose demanded, feeling a sense of dread.

The Doctor looked over at the door, his eyes narrowing as if the creature that attacked Rose was lurking outside. "I'm not sure. The memories were wiped after it left. I assume it was attempting to persuade you to do something you didn't want to do."

He focused on Rose again, feeling the thrum of her heartbeat against his chest and the warmth of her wrapped around him. He smiled softly into her hair. "My Uncommon Rose is nothing if not stubborn. No one makes her do something she doesn't want to."

Rose pulled back and looked at him. "I don't like that something was in my head and erased memories." Her brow furrowed. "What if it did something else?" she asked and felt her breath catch as panic gripped her. "Did it attack you? Are you all right?" she demanded, reaching up to caress his face and searching him for any sign of harm.

His gaze didn't waver from her eyes, but a piece of himself closed off tighter from her, not wanting her to know how worried and angry he was.

"It was focused on you and no it didn't do anything else to you other than attempt to scare or force you to do its bidding." Rose looked off toward the console. Her hands rested on his waist, fingers gripping into his sides as if she expected them to be ripped apart.

Her voice wavered, "But how do you know?"

He hated that she was feeling violated and unsure. His face softened, he cupped her check and his gaze held hers in reassurance. "I was worried so I slipped in to have a look around your mind. Honestly, you have a rather impressive temporal entity in there protecting you. I think whatever it was needed your cooperation." He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers. "But you fought it off."

"But you're okay?" she asked again, not believing he was. He was acting far too calm.

He pulled away from her and looked off to the side. "I told you, it attacked you."

She tipped his chin so he was looking directly at her. There it was hiding in the icy depths of his eyes. He was trying so hard to protect her, but deep down was not just an enraged Time Lord but a furious Doctor. He blinked and laid his hands on her shoulders, trembling ever so slightly.

Rose was silent for a moment trying to decide how best to help him when she connected the dots. "What happened, it's related to the Corsair, isn't it? Is…is it the Master?"

"There are no coincidences," he reminded her as he took a step away. "The Master is a gifted telepath and hypnotist but even he couldn't have done that without proximity to you or some other connection." He guided her to the console. "Whatever it was, it's gone now and you're safe. That's what's important. And I'm not going to allow it to invade your mind again," he said with a deceptive calmness that bothered her much more than if he had been ranting or hurling about promises of vengeance.

"And how are you gonna stop it? I got shielding that most Time Lords can't get through but you're telling me this thing crashed through my defences like it was nothing!"

The Doctor gripped the console and turned to her, his eyes now reflecting his true feelings, the anger that something dare enter his TARDIS and attack _his_ Rose. This was the Oncoming Storm in his coldest incarnation. "I've strengthened the TARDIS telepathic fields around you specifically. It won't find attacking you so easy if it tries again.

"And you think it will?"

His jaw clenched and Rose felt fury rolling off him in waves. "We find the Corsair and deal with it," was his only answer.

Rose shivered. This was not good. In fact, she had a feeling that whatever attacked her was counting on this, on her Doctor's utter rage. This just proved the attack on the Corsair was to cause them to react and maybe that was the point.

All of this was a game of cause and effect. Attack the Corsair and they reacted. A slight misdirection and they cross the Doctor's timeline, possibly changing the course of the Doctor's and Corsair's lives. Then another wrench thrown in their way as they crossed not just the Doctor's and Corsair's but her timeline as well. When that didn't elicit the desired response, someone paid her a little visit directly to see what they'd do next. They were being poked, prodded and tested and Rose didn't like it.

As the Doctor navigated in a cold silence, Rose walked back to the jump seat and leaned against it. The Master could do some of this, but he couldn't access her mind and certainly not from some distance in time and space. What could? Rose felt a cold seep into her. That was a frightening thought.

Who or what could track her down and attack her in the TARDIS leaving no trace of itself behind? Any being capable of that was capable of doing far worse. What did it hope to gain? Her stomach knotted. Whatever it was attempting, it involved altering specific points in time like erasing the Corsair affecting the Doctor's future, her future along with other Time Lords and species. What would the universe be without the Corsair?

What would they be?

Rose looked at the Doctor again, his shoulders hunched, his movements stiff and almost violent. Were they already changed? Had something happened and they were different people now? The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became.

Soon, she felt something shift inside of herself and felt power clawing from within. She could feel her mind questioning the _what ifs_ and the _could bes_ and it terrified her. The possibilities of what could happen included a raging and horrific Time War that wasn't stopped, a Doctor laying waste to entire star systems, and her…her meeting that dark force and how it would destroy her and twist her into a weapon. Rose blinked and pushed those visions away. Someone had a far larger agenda and if they couldn't achieve it through the Corsair…

Rose swallowed hard and walked to the console, laying a hand over the Doctor's. He looked up at her startled.

"Rose?" he asked, feeling her distress and the tug of time on her. Her eyes sparkled with golden embers and a tear like a drop of amber trailed down her cheek. His anger ebbed.

"Rose?" he questioned again, softer this time. He laced his fingers with hers, catching a glimpse of what she was seeing - War, destruction, a universe in turmoil, and him, raging across it with her laughing madly as they conquered and destroyed.

"That won't happen," he assured her. "We will save the Corsair."

"But you and I…that could still happen." She looked over at him. "Just now, looking at you how ready you were for revenge, for what that thing did to me-"

"No, I would never allow that to happen! To become that creature you saw or to ever allow such darkness to touch you." He grasped both her hands in his, squeezing gently in emphasis. "You are my Uncommon Rose, my conscious, the one good thing in my life to remind me that life goes on and needs to and that…" He paused and blinked. "That there is always a choice and sometimes that choice isn't death."

She smiled and pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around him.

"It'll be all right," he promised, trying to convince himself as well as her. "We just need to focus on the Corsair and then we'll deal with whatever is trying to manipulate us into -" He stilled and stared across the room.

"What?" Rose asked, stepping back and looking up at him.

He shook his head. "A memory from my past." He turned to the console and laid his hand on crystal knob. "There once were beings that liked to use mortals in a twisted game for control of the universe," he said in far away voice. "But they disappeared during the Time War. No one's seen them since."

A loud beeping sounded and he turned away from her. "We've found the Corsair. Apparently, his TARDIS was in the Vortex. It may be why we had so many issues zeroing in. The fluctuations to his timeline are amplified in the Vortex."

Rose wanted to push him on his last comment, but he was a flurry of activity and started barking out orders at her to help him. The TARDIS shook and rocked as they neared the Corsair's TARDIS. Rose had to hang on for dear life as it felt like they were in the equivalent of a temporal hurricane until suddenly they stilled. Rose fell back hard onto the grating.

The Doctor reached down, grabbed her hand and hefted her up as he ran for the door. They were met with another shut door. It was an ornate wooden one with carvings of the ocean, fishes, and mermaids on it. The Doctor knocked in a succession of taps as if sounding out a code. Eventually, the door creaked open revealing a darkened interior of the Corsair's TARDIS.

The Corsair was sprawled on the polished wooden floor not far from his own ornate console. Rose tried to race in but the Doctor held her back. He shot her a look screaming _caution_. She nodded and let him in first. He examined the room and scanned it with his sonic before walking over and kneeling by the Corsair's unconscious body. He waved Rose over.

She ran and knelt next to him horrified at his dirty and pale state. It was obvious from muddy boot prints on his blue coat that he'd been stepped on and there was dirt on his hands and under his finger nails as if he had been clawing through dirt, struggling toward his TARDIS. The Doctor rolled him over and they could see dim flashes of golden light beneath his skin, slowly dissipating as if the regeneration energy had been attempting to heal him but was being drained away.

Rose reached down to touch him but the Doctor grabbed her wrist and shook his head. He gently placed his fingers to the Corsairs temples and then pulled back with a gasp.

"He's dying," he said softly with a crack in his voice.

"He can't regenerate?"

"His timeline is unstable. It's as if someone is draining him of artron, siphoning off through his timeline but…that's impossible."

"Can we move him to our TARDIS and, I dunno, shield him somehow?"

The Doctor sat back, scratching his neck. "I don't know but…" He paused looking up. "We can track where his artron energy is being siphoned off to."

His gaze fell on the Corsair and he placed his hand on his friend's chest, a grave look on his face. "Come on," he said, turning to Rose, "let's move him and track down the source."

"And we can stop them and put back what they've taken, yeah?" Rose asked as she grabbed one of the Corsair's shoulders, hefting him up, noticing a faint scent of something acrid surrounding him. Part of her tried not to think about it but she couldn't help the traitorous voice in her mind whispering it was the scent of death.

The Doctor wouldn't look at Rose as they put the Corsair's arms around their shoulders, the Doctor baring the majority of the weight. "Let's get him on our TARDIS."

Just as they dragged him into their console room, the Corsair's boots dragging on the ramps out of his TARDIS and into the Doctor's, he seemed to regain consciousness. His head lolled over to the side and he blinked his eyes squinting at the Doctor. "Must have been a hell of a party," he slurred.

"Hardly," the Doctor said, snorting as he guided them through his TARDIS into the Zero room.

The Corsair lost consciousness as they laid him on the floor of the all-white room. The Doctor looked at his friend's pale face, rubbing his hand over his mouth in concentration. He shot Rose a worried look before he slipped out to work on securing the Corsair's TARDIS, tethering it to their own.

Rose knelt on the polished white floor of the quiet colourless room that dampened any electrical and radiological influences, providing a tranquil atmosphere ideal for neurological healing or post regeneration recovery.

She had a slight uneasiness in this room as it reminded her of another white room when she had been ripped from her home and her original Doctor. But now was not the time to let the ghosts of her past consume her. She had to focus on helping the Corsair. As she ran her fingers through his hair in an attempt to soothe him, she sent the Doctor encouragement to hurry things along.

The damage the Corsair faced was far worse than anything the Doctor had seen. After both TARDIS were secured, he set to reconfiguring the zero room to try and delay any further degradation of the Corsair's timeline.

The Corsair lay unconscious in the room his head now in Rose's lap. He winced, his body tensed, his head jerking and brow furrowing.

"You're in pain," Rose said her voice cracking as she cradled him and ran her fingers through his hair and across his brow in a soothing manner. "We're here and we're gonna help you. The Doctor's working on it right now."

The Corsair grumbled and shifted, sniffing the air. "That horrific smell is me isn't it?" he mumbled, his eyes cracking open and eventually focusing on her. A slight smile lit his pale and damp face. "'Cos I know it's not you sweet scented Rose, flower of time and space."

Rose smiled and brushed some of his dark hair off his forehead and looked into his clouded blue eyes.

But he looked past her as if gazing directly at something, except there was nothing there. He grinned and his chest shook with laughter. "Fezpero, you Gust of Rancid Candaloon," he murmured, still slurring. "You've been dead what?" he exhaled loudly and smiled. "Running on three centuries now. Told you thievin' from those smugglers was a bad idea. Ohhhh but those were fun days…till they gutted you but don't worry, I fixed 'em. No, they won't do that again. Can't. I rounded up the blood thirsty bastards and dropped them in the pit of Kazzak the Voracious."

Ignoring his strange behaviour, Rose murmured soothing words, promising him a trip to the Balhoon, their favourite bar. She telepathically projected her concern to the Doctor who was focused on a monitor.

She could hear his voice like he was standing in the room. "He's reliving some of his past. It's part of the breakdown of his timeline."

Suddenly the Corsair tensed and his face grimaced. He screamed, arching his body off the floor and thrashed in Rose's lap.

"Doctor!" Rose shouted and did her best to hold the Corsair down, pressing on his shoulders and promising him she was there and he was going to be all right. She could feel tension radiating off of him and sense his timeline fracturing.

It was an odd thing for her. She'd never seen anything other than whole timelines and she didn't always understand what she had been seeing, but watching what happened to the Corsair - it was like observing the lines whither and snap away from him bit by bit. The temporal vibrations sounded like claws raking down a chalkboard and made her shudder.

Watching the Corsair, she could see he was in excruciating pain - perspiration beaded his face, his eyes were squeezed shut and he gasped as his hands fisted with finger nails tearing into his palms. Tears welled up in her eyes as she vainly tried to comfort him.

"Doctor!" she repeated as she tried to calm the Corsair running her hands down his arms and humming a song to him.

Suddenly, his glazed eyes shot open and he sat upright. "You backside of a Krynoid! You tripped over that scarf again!" He laughed in his delirium, facing one of the white walls as he conversed with someone from his past. "Told you jelly babies wasn't gonna work as bribery! Fuck! We're gonna be late for the invasion…again!"

Rose sat behind him, trying to grip his shoulders as he flailed around reaching his hands out in front of him. Rose shifted around him and instinctually grabbed one of his hands to calm him down and he clasped onto her as if it was a natural thing.

"Karnanian cluster knots, but your hands are softer than the back side of a Venusian Pussy Tralk! Must be all that time with the lovely Lady Romana. Now there's a time lady I wouldn't mind-"

He winced. "Watch the face! Fuck but your sensitive…all right all right no commentin' on one of the more tolerable of that stuck up lot on Gallifrey." He smirked and then his smiled faded. "She left you? Ha, typical Time Lady, toys with you for a bit of adventure and then runs off thinking…."

He paused, let go of Rose's hand and turned to her, slapping her shoulder. "Stop it, you old scallywag! She's got to find her own way just like you and she's fair better off now than on Gallifrey! You made her better! Now enough of your whinging about like some lily bellied kicked in the arse Barcelonian Puppy! There's this pub in fortieth century Maluga Four…" he trailed off and fell backwards unconscious again.

Rose smiled, kneeling next to him. She listened to him mumble about Maluga Four and remembered the good times the three of them had there. Tears trailed down her face as she watched more golden energy under his pale skin seem to appear and vanish as if someone was slowly stripping the life away from him. Again, she ran her hand across his brow.

He opened his eyes and blinked until he focused on her. "Golden Flower of Time," he murmured. "Loveliest Rose." He smiled and reached up barely able to work his hand and brushed his knuckles on her cheek. "Can't believe you crossed my path and so many times." He grinned. "Here's me at the end finally remembering the golden haired flower who popped in and out of my timeline like she was playing hopscotch. My little she wolf who protected my world even when…" He winced and squirmed on the floor.

Rose again sent thoughts to the Doctor to hurry. She held his hand and looked down at him, concern etched on her face. "You've got to hang on," she begged with a trembling voice. "Please just listen to me. The Doctor's working on it and we're so close to finding the person doing this to you."

He coughed out more golden energy and gazed at her again, looking older than she'd ever seen him even though his form was that of a dashing Jack Harkness. It was his eyes. He had done much to hide his millennia or more of travels, pain and heartbreak. Now it was revealed before her like a confession as if he wanted to lay it all down before the end.

"You don't know what you mean to me," he said in a tired voice, still looking up at her, a sincerity and quietness to him she'd never seen before. "You didn't just save the Doctor. You gave me hope too. You, with your bright smile and stubborn determination; hope and faith in something more. Uncommon Rose, our flower of time you are so much more than you know. You…" he sighed, "you reminded this old pirate there's still things to discover and not everything is a pile of Space Whale guano."

Rose blushed and then tearfully laughed. "Don't know about that." Her smile faded and she knew what she had to say. "It's our fault, maybe more mine that this is happening to you. You're being attacked because of us or me. Something wants to punish us or maybe worse. The Doctor thought it was the Master, but then something else happened and now –" She squeezed his hand. "I have such a bad feeling that whoever this is wants to tear up the universe and that we'd be part of that. Maybe if you're not there to help us, we become…" She looked down unable to finish.

The Corsair licked his now blue tinged lips and looked at her. "No, Flower, don't think that. Whatever yellow bellied time twit that's doing this knows that the old Corsair here is tied into more timelines than yours. Take me out and it affects thousands of worlds and I know that you and the Doctor are meant to be whether or not I'm there to smack that old scallywag or give you a good dose of Corsair inspiration and support," he said with a wink. "No, my lovely Rose, I won't let you blame yourself. Now, the Doctor - that's different. It'd be just like him to go and piss off some powerful god-like being or you know, shake Rassilon right out of his tomb."

Ripping his hand from hers, he coughed and curled in on himself, his hands fisting as tears streamed down his face.

"No!" Rose shouted, her hands shaking as she tried to comfort him.

He started to pant. "Rose, if you can't stop it, if you can't toss the bastard in the nearest Kranak Hole or avoid skewering the sea scum that's doing this, I need you to know…"

"We will! We're gonna find him and do whatever we have to save you!" she swore, her whole being trembling and shaking with grief and tears for her beloved friend who was slipping away before her very eyes.

"No!" he shouted. "That's what they want! Want you to wage a war of vengeance." He paused as if seeing the timelines and then directed a piercing look at her. "Take my hand!"

She did and lowered her shielding to see into his mind. She gasped and looked down at him.

"I'm not worth you and the Doctor waging a war against the Master," the Corsair said. "It's what he wants, what he's always wanted. He likes destroying and conquering. Making you like him. Promise me you won't!"

Rose shook her head and he gripped her hand harder. "Promise me!" he insisted as he grimaced in pain.

"I promise," she said in a tearful voice.

He smiled looking less burdened. "Good. Course, that doesn't mean I don't want you to stop the bastard and hold onto him so I can kick his arse when I'm well enough." He struggled to wink at her, both eyes wanting to close.

Rose gave him a weak smile and again ran her hand across his pale, clammy forehead brushing her fingers in a soothing manner through his sweat dampened hair.

"Rose," he whispered. "I need you to…do something for me."

"Anything," she promised tearfully.

"You and that old scallywag, you're all I have, that I give a damn about in all of time and space. There's no one on Gallifrey for me anymore. Well, other than a few acquaintances of the intimate variety," he teased and then his smile faded.

"You're all I have other than my TARDIS." He stared off in the distance again, his face solemn before turning to her. "You're my best mates. Oh the fun we've had, the drunken brawls, the whiskey, fighting the good fight, adventuring and watching you two shag your way to a new life." He grinned again. "The universe is a better place with you two in it and you are - " He paused and swallowed hard. "You're my family," he finished in a cracked voice.

Rose felt the tears well up and coat her cheeks and gripped both his hands in hers. "You're our family too. We love you and…"

"Shhhh now. Listen to me, Rose. I need you to do something for me. If it looks like I'm not gonna make it, gonna take my final plunge, meet the jolly roger and all that, if you can, save a bit of the old Corsair's brilliance - My people, when they reach their end, they send their minds, their consciousness into this Matrix.

"Whatever happens don't bloody well send me there! An eternity with those boring pompous arses is not my idea of a good end. No, if you remember, if they don't steal me from your mind, you take the best of the Corsair, store me in the TARDIS database, and take me to the great interstellar library." He smiled. "Chuck me in there with billions of stories to be lost in the pages of great adventure and poetry, especially the smutty ones!" he teased.

Rose cried and laughed. She looked at him and saw something fading. "I promise," she choked out as she felt one of his hearts stutter and stop. "Corsair, please," she begged as he fell limp in her arms, his breath rasping.

The Doctor rushed in and knelt beside her. "I've got the signal, we're almost there." He pulled a metal disc out of his pocket and placed it on the Corsair's forehead. "This should give us a bit more time." He leaned down and kissed her temple. "Stay with him. I'm going to land and deal with this."

Rose watched the Doctor leave. She felt time slow for her. The air was thick and she could see tendrils of time moving amongst them. It coiled around them contracting and expanding and tightening again like a rubber band being pulled taught and about to break. Her breath caught - a pivotal point in time. A choice would be made and the universe would shift one way or the other.

The Doctor had left to focus on the landing. He wasn't experiencing what she was. Maybe it was due to Bad Wolf inside of her or maybe it was because the choice wasn't his. His focus was narrowed in on their enemy and he was about to leave her in the TARDIS and go face whatever evil force was destroying the Corsair. His emotions were volatile.

Rose felt time pull at her. She should go with him. The Corsair gasped as if he was having difficulty breathing. Rose looked down at his pale face. How could she leave the Corsair? Yet, there was something dark wrapped around her Doctor. It was almost like she could hear a clock. Tick tock did she stay? Tick tock did she go?

She bit her lip and called out to the Doctor.

He peeked back into the room.

"The Corsair, he told me, he warned me that we shouldn't let the Master goad us, make us destroy like he does. Promise me you won't let your anger blind you and won't become him."

He looked at Rose for what seemed like an eternity and walked back to kneel beside her. "I'm going to stop this and save the Corsair. Then, I'm coming back to my Rose," he whispered and tipped her face up so he could gently kiss her.

"I love you," she whispered as she watched him march out of the room and go off to face the Master and whatever else lay in wait. Rose was quite certain there was something else out there waiting on the Doctor, waiting to turn him back into a warrior, a killer, a destroyer of worlds…


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big hugs to Littlewhomouse for beta work :) One more chapter after this one!

The Doctor landed the two TARDISes on a small planet located in a dark swirling nebula. It was an area of the galaxy that was rarely explored, known for its instability. Many space fairing cultures had ghost stories and myths about this corner of the universe where ships entered and often never returned. But the Doctor didn't believe in Ghost stories. To him, it was the imagination of lesser species mixed with a smidgeon of truth and layered in scientific explanation. He wasn't there for investigation or to write some lengthy and boring dissertation on such matters. That day, he was there to save his friend, the Corsair and stop whatever dark force was haunting all of them.

The planet they landed on was barely capable of sustaining higher life and yet, even without looking at the TARDIS's screen, he could tell there was most definitely a higher life form there, another Time Lord. But the readings also showed an anomaly in time; a deep rift which could not possibly be a natural occurrence, connected to someone the Doctor cared about.

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle as he analysed the anomaly. Anger built inside of him at the thought of this temporal weapon being directed at the Corsair. This was going to end.

The TARDIS was not far from the rift. Gripping his sonic in his hand, he tightened his fingers on the cold metal, shut his eyes and tapped into his time sense.

Rose wanted him to stay calm and clear headed and he knew that was important. Even more important was for him to know when to act and use necessary force. The Master would not hesitate just as he hadn't on Gallifrey. He could hear the taunting in his mind mixed with an insane laughter. His eyes snapped open, dark and piercing as he stared at the door. He could feel how the Master was in a more desperate and vengeful mood. There would be no toying in this battle. It would be kill or be killed. The Master fought for power. The Doctor fought for Rose and their future.

With a quiet stillness and singular focus, he strode forward. Just as his hand touched the door, he sensed movement behind him. He turned to find Rose standing near the console, arms crossed and glaring at him.

"I told you to stay with the Corsair," he ordered in a cold voice.

Rose's gaze hardened. She had sat with the Corsair in turmoil as to what choice to make – stay with the dying Corsair or go with the Doctor to stop the Master and whatever else lurked outside their TARDIS.

She sensed the Doctor's mood spiralling downward into anger and revenge. The darkness was enveloping him as he fell further and further into the abyss of his past, becoming the Doctor who fought in the Time War, one who would do anything to win. Part of her knew he had to harden himself to face the Master and save the Corsair, but she couldn't allow him to walk out there with no regard for life or consequences. Killing the Master would most certainly have repercussions and she knew that the only thing on his mind now was doing just that, putting an end to the enemy harming his friend.

Rose exhaled, stepped closer to him and tilted her chin up. "No," she responded in a strong voice, the Corsair's warning of not walking the Master's path still echoing in her mind.

The Doctor glowered at her, his jaw clenching and looked prepared to throw her over his shoulder and lock her up.

Rose knew that look all to well having had a few memories of being sprawled across said shoulder as he carted her down a corridor. That wouldn't happen this time. She dropped her arms to her side, fists clenched and stepped closer to him, her gaze never faltering.

"I told you a long time ago, you can't tuck me away and especially not with what's out there," she announced, pointing at the door. "I'm not some simpering, meek woman. I've been through hell and back with you and I feel what's out there. You're not going alone! I won't let you sacrifice what we have, who we are out of some sense that you have to protect me from some nutter Time Lord. Besides, we're stronger together."

"It's the Master," he said, gesturing angrily with his hands. "You know what happened last time. That power nearly took you from me. I can't risk it!" he shouted, furious that she would endanger herself and not trust him to handle this.

"And I won't risk losing you! We did this together last time and that's what we'll do now."

"Last time it wasn't enough and it cost the Corsair a regeneration, not to mention the power you had to tap into. I can't risk you unleashing that. We don't know what it'll do to you!" he reminded her in a tight voice as he did his best to loom over her.

Rose didn't flinch. She took a breath and laid a hand on his tense arm. "You're right. It is different now. We aren't the same people. We're stronger, you and me, more connected. I feel you inside of me, flowing through me even stronger than when we were on Gallifrey. We share this thing and everything in me says as long as we don't abuse it, this power or force or whatever will protect us."

He sighed and looked off to the side before turning back to her, doubt etched on his face. Rose could sense his mind whirling as he contemplated alternatives like locking her in the TARDIS.

"Don't even think it," Rose warned, shaking her head and tensing as if ready to do battle right there in the console room. "I'm just as connected to the TARDIS as you and maybe she likes me better. You try and lock me up and I'll ask her real nice like to let me out," she said and arched a brow at him. The TARDIS hummed as if agreeing with her.

He growled in frustration, his hands gripping his hair and stepped so close to her until she could feel his breath puffing at her hair. His entire being radiated tension, anger and the essence of the Oncoming Storm combined with time lord arrogance. His intent was to intimidate her. Only, he didn't succeed. She knew him too well.

Instead, she squared her shoulders and tilted her chin up in her own battle mode. "I feel him outside, the time rift and how it's affecting you and don't lie to me and tell me it's not. It is. It's ripping open old wounds, making you angry, much angrier than you should be."

"Much angrier than I should be? It's the Corsair, my friend, our friend! How can you stand there and act as if this is all about me!" he shouted, violently pointing at the Zero Room. "I have to save my friend. Not to mention, you were attacked by something else that is more than likely out there and connected to this! Don't lecture me about my behaviour when so much is at risk."

"Don't lecture you! It's not about you!" she shouted and shoved at his chest barely moving him. He stood tall and unflinching, assured he was right. Rose could sense his pompous over confidant attitude. Not only was he not listening to her, he was treating her like an over emotional human he had to pacify before moving on to his big important Time Lord work.

"Oh my gawd!" She turned in a circle, her hands gripping her head before she dropped them to her side. "It's already blinded you! This. Is. NOT. About You!"

He stopped and stared at her, his nostrils flaring in anger. As he felt the violence lapping at him, the dark fury egging him on, he turned and paced muttering under his breath before walking over to her, grabbing her arms wanting her to see his truth. Suddenly, he started to absorb what she was saying and not just see her concern but feel it as well.

Rose didn't flinch. "This isn't about you, it's about us. The Corsair is suffering because someone or thing wants us to lose control, to go out there guns blazing!"

The Doctor inhaled and closed his eyes as her words and emotions sank into him. He nodded and looked at her with determination. "I won't lose control. This has to end and I'm going to end it," he said in a steely voice.

"No, we are," she said firmly. "Together."

His eyes were pitch black and his jaw clenched but she was steadfast and gold flecks sparkled in her eyes. He felt power flare between them through their bond, her presence in his mind became more prominent, helping him to focus and tamp down the rage and darkness that threatened to consume him.

The minute he felt her mind, he let go of her arms and let out a shuddering breath. Her fingers laced with his and he looked down at their joined hands clasped firmly together as they should be. With one final longing look at each other, they walked out onto the black rocky terrain, their purpose clear.

It didn't take long climbing over and through the cracked and crumbled terrain before they found the Master. He was standing amidst the rupture in time, surrounded by a circle of crystals resonating with temporal energy that he manipulated with a device in his hand. He was smiling and inhaling in ecstasy, revelling in the destruction of the Corsair's timeline.

He opened his eyes and looked at them, tilting his head up, his upper lip quirking and an eyebrow arched as his eyes burned with a mixture of anger, jealousy and arrogant disdain.

"Hello Doctor," he sneered and then turned to Rose. "And if it isn't the pretty little wolf. Come to play with me again?" He flipped a switch and Rose swore she heard the Corsair scream.

"Stop it now!" she ordered as the wind picked up as if in reaction to her, the scent of sulphur and ash swirling around them.

"Make me," the Master taunted.

"It's us you want, Master. Let the Corsair go," the Doctor said in a slightly bored sounding tone that did not reveal the true emotions burning beneath the surface.

The Master smiled. "Oh I don't think so. Torturing that pathetic pirate is just too much fun," he said with relish. "I do need some fun after you two ruined my last party, forcing me to smuggle myself away on a boring backwater rock like this to avoid repercussions from those pathetic moronic politicians!" he screamed at them, again activating the long silver rectangular box in his hand causing the Corsair to scream.

The Doctor maintained a bored expression. "Well you did try and take over Gallifrey and regenerated several council members into a state of stupor and dementia, along with unleashing the Horde of Travesties. One might suppose you annoyed them."

"Everything would have been fine if you and your blonde bitch along with your band of renegade Time Twats hadn't shown up. You spoiled everything! Why shouldn't the Corsair suffer, that insufferable moron!"

The Master paused, his face growing hard. "He was always running to pull your arse out the fire wasn't he? I wonder where you'd be if he was just gone? Why don't we find out?" the Master snapped.

Just as he activated his device the Doctor pulled out his sonic and aimed it at the Master. The silver box in the Master's hand sparked and he dropped it. There was a high pitched whine and blue light flashed around the Master as each of the crystals surrounding him shattered.

"No!" he screamed just as the Doctor lunged at him. The two men fought, struggling with one another, laying punches and kicks. The black dust of the rocky planet flew up around them, coating their suits and skin. They grunted and growled at each other, cursing and tumbling to the ground. There was a sick thud as the Doctor smashed the Master's head against a rock. The Master growled and landed several blows across the Doctor's face.

Rose stood ready for this moment. As the Time Lords fought, she scooped up the device and smashed it against a rock, only then sensing time realigning and breathing a sigh of relief.

A movement off to the side caught her attention. A figure robed in black holding a staff watched her. She caught a glimpse of his pale elderly face with a smile that sent shivers down her spine. Time was stabilized but the _ever could bes_ , the possibilities were still in flux. Nothing here was fixed and the swirling of choices to be made was dizzying.

She heard the Doctor shout as he lay on the ground. The Master had his laser screwdriver out and aimed at her, firing with a smirk on his face. Rose dove out of the way but not before some of the laser fire clipped her shoulder. She cried out and fell to her knees. She looked over at the robed figure and he looked excited, she could almost hear his thoughts: _Yes, that's it hurt the wolf, go on take your vengeance. They took everything from you, attack them, make him angry, do it do it do it._

The red sky darkened and the wind whipped the black sand around her. A cold feeling settled inside of her as she felt the Doctor's rage unfurl and the air crackled with his deep seeded fury. Something dark and long buried within him, a whirlwind of destruction the likes of which could shake the universe, was awakening. The Doctor stood up and the Master was thrown to the ground. He stared up in shock at the Doctor and scurried backwards, his back scraping against the sand and gravel.

"No," she whispered. The temporal rift nearby responded to a Time Lord's fury manifesting itself in physical way as the very atmosphere seemed to rip open and energy gusted outward like a temporal storm blowing rocks and sand as lightening crashed down around them.

Rose always knew her Doctor was capable of far more than the damage and danger she'd seen him unleash. He had always tamped that part of himself down. She felt his rage tug at something inside of her. The sleeping wolf was awakening. The pain from her burnt shoulder was nothing compared to the fear of what the Doctor could and would do.

In his attempt at seeking vengeance, to protect her from danger, he could do so much worse. The power he pulled into himself from her and from the rift would drive him mad. And she knew, deep down, that this was what the black robed man wanted. The Master wasn't the true architect of this sinister plan. He was only the instrument inflicting pain on the Corsair and through him to them. The Master was a pawn, nothing more. The real danger was standing off to the side gloating as her Doctor descended into a relentless and unstoppable anger, pain, revenge and destruction.

Rose squeezed her eyes shut and focused on the Doctor who stood, his face a stone mask as his eyes turned a fathomless black. He held out his hand and pinched his fingers together. The Master reacted as if he was being choked.

"Please stop," she begged. "Please don't do this, don't leave me and become the darkness we've fought back so many times." She tried to buffer him from her pain and worry and instead infuse him with love, her hopes for their future, memories of them in bed, out drinking with the Corsair, exploring new worlds, discovering wonders and just being together, softly holding each other under the stars. Tears coursed down her cheeks as she felt him build barriers against what she was trying to convey.

She beat and clawed at those barriers, trying to dig her way through to the good man she knew was locked away, but he telepathically shoved her aside. With tears in her eyes and desperate to save him, her final appeal was to the wolf within her. It was a place she didn't want to go and something she tried to keep far, far away from the physical world, but it was her last hope. They were both connected this way and if he wouldn't listen to her through their bond then she would garner his attention another way. She felt the howl vibrate through her body and time shuddered around her as the golden embers of time manifested.

"My Doctor," she breathed out to him. Time paused and he turned to her.

"Rose," he said in a broken voice. Rose knelt on the ground her wound visible but not affecting her in this state.

"You must stop this. Pain and anger have clouded your judgment," she said in an ethereal voice. "We did not align ourselves with you for this. Your purpose is not pure. This path leads only to destruction and this we cannot allow."

His face fell and all of the anger fled replaced with something stronger, his love for Rose and a fear of losing her. "Please don't take Rose from me," he begged, his voice breaking.

"We cannot allow you to use us," Rose replied her voice echoing with time.

"I won't, I don't want to. I just wanted her safe. None of this was meant to happen…I don't know how…" he paused and in this state of temporal grace he saw something out of focus off to the side, a dark blur that left a chill in him. "Manipulated," he gasped.

"Now you see the truth. You must choose a path."

He inhaled deeply and let his tension go. "My path will always lead to Rose. She anchors me and reminds me of the good man I want to be. I ask you to give me a chance to make a better choice."

"Our purpose is not to interfere. You are a Lord of Time. As humans say with great power comes great responsibility. You will not be warned again." In a flash of golden light, Rose collapsed onto the black sandy soil. The Doctor trembled with what almost happened and turned to the Master, grasping at his throat lying on the ground. He coldly kicked him in the face, knocking him out.

His prior anger dissipated and with an expelled breath, he released the power he had drawn into himself. The planet returned to a calm wasteland and the time rupture shrank until it disappeared. He looked over the dune where he had seen the blur to find nothing. He ran and knelt next to Rose examining her wound and scooping her into his arms and burying his face in her hair.

"I'm so sorry, for so many things. I know what you did and you shouldn't have had to do that. This was my fault for not being strong enough for you. You were right. We needed to be together in all ways. Please stay with me. I love you," he croaked out, tears wetting his eyes as his arms tightened around her limp body..

Rose's brow furrowed and she nudged her head against his chest as she fought her way back to consciousness. She licked her lips but her eyes were still closed. "I'm so mad at you," she whispered.

Tears pricked his eyes. "I'm mad at myself. I let something affect me, something I should have felt, and something that's tried before to manipulate me to its will. I know that he exists here now and is watching. It won't happen again," he promised and squeezed his eyes tight as he again, hugged her tightly to him.

Rose winced as she tried to move her injured arm and the Doctor shifted his grip to try and make her more comfortable. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him. "The bloke in the weird robes?"

The Doctor paused. "You've been seeing him," he murmured and looked out across the arid and blackened landscape. "I should have paid closer attention to what you saw. He was watching us the whole time."

"Yeah, he seemed kind of excited to watch you go all oncoming evil. Guess he's gone now," she said, turning her head to look around. She focused back on the Doctor and glared. She slapped him on the shoulder with her uninjured arm up. "Don't do that again."

"You saw him here?" he asked, unperturbed by her anger. His body tensed and he scanned the area around them worried that Rose saw him when he couldn't. That was a very significant detail and one that he didn't like.

"Yeah," she replied with a tired voice and then looked at him more serious. "Ya know I love you, but if you do anything like that again, I will kick your arse."

He looked back at her with a solemn expression on his face. "I won't. At least, as long as I have you to help and you were right, I do need your help, need you with me even if it puts you in danger. We are better together."

She smiled slightly. "Told you and that means the looming thing too!" she chastised. The Doctor rolled his eyes.

Rose couldn't help the slight smile that lit her face even as she winced in pain. "Now, if Master Wanker is sorted, could we maybe get me something for the pain 'cos this hurts like a…." Before she finished, The Master stood up aiming the sonic laser at them.

"Pathetic! You think you can beat me! I, your vastly superior…" Before he could finish his evil rant, someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was the Corsair who smiled and promptly punched him in the mouth. The Master collapsed onto the ground with a satisfying thud.

"Vastly superior at evil proselytizing!" the Corsair added. "And really outstanding at falling down." He then proceeded to kick the Master whilst he was unconscious. "That's for playing around in my timeline. And that's for making me miss _An Ode to Klom_ and this is for making me waste a perfectly fine bottle of fifty year old Praeterian Whiskey . And this is for hurting the flower!" he announced with a final boot kick to the master's groin. The Corsair looked over at them and grinned. "Did you miss me?"

Rose and the Doctor laughed, hurrying over to their friend. After many hugs and a few kisses from the Corsair, which the Doctor could have lived without, they decided the best fate for the Master was to turn him over to the Celestial Intervention Agency on Gallifrey. It wouldn't hurt to score a few bonus points with Romana for doing so. After all, to their collective minds, what could be worse than turning him over to be judged by a bunch of Time Lords?

After tying up the Master and gagging him, which Rose thought the Doctor and Corsair enjoyed a bit too much, they tended to Rose in the infirmary. Truthfully, the Doctor tended whilst the Corsair snooped and scurried around the TARDIS discovering the Doctor's secret stash of Tok Brandy, a couple of bottles of which mysteriously disappeared.

Once Rose was sorted, a quick message was transmitted to President Romana advising her they may have located one of Gallifrey's Most Wanted. Upon landing on Gallifey, they were met by Lady Olethianockolia, head of the CIA. The Corsair and the Doctor grinned as they officially remanded the Master to the CIA. Lady Olethianockolia was less amused but inclined her head in acknowledgement and perhaps a touch of gratitude. Rose was specifically excluded from the meeting much to her displeasure. It was so typically Time Lord and their way of insulting her. Her presence on Gallifrey was barely tolerated.

Whilst the Doctor and Corsair played the heroes, she did what she did best - wandered off. In fact, she wandered to the Prydonian Chapter at the Academy. She hid amongst the scarlet leafed bushes watching students stream in and out of the impressive turreted main building wondering which one was her son, Tyler. A hand clamped onto her shoulder and she jumped. The Doctor was standing behind her with an amused look on his face.

"Knew I'd find you here." Rose looked away, tense and ready for an argument. "Rose," he said in a softer voice this time.

She looked back at him, determination reflected in her eyes. "I need to see him, just to say hello and make sure…"

"I know. I'm sure Romana suspects too which is why you got this far," the Doctor said with a mischievous smile

Rose turned back to the school, watching the scarlet robed children stroll along stone paths.

"Rose, look at me," he said firmly. Turning toward the Doctor, she couldn't hide how emotional she felt. Her son was on this planet. She was so close to meeting him and swore she felt a whisper of something in the back of her mind that she fancied was him.

"I'm not here to stop you. I know where he is. Well, I mean I sense it and it's not here," he explained, tugging at his ear nervously.

Rose's expression softened. "Doctor, please."

He held his out his hand and walked her through winding garden paths toward a secluded spot where they found a skinny, brown haired boy sitting alone on a bench staring at a tablet. They stood off to the side watching him. Rose tightened her grip on the Doctor's hand. She looked up at him to find him watching her.

"He's gorgeous," she whispered. Her eyes teared up as she observed the boy. "He looks so much like you."

"Well, he does have the best of me, above average intelligence, enhanced temporal senses, aptitude at advanced temporal physics…"

Rose bumped him with her shoulder. "Not a bit modest or the proud father are you?" she teased. "And I thought you didn't care."

"Of course I care," he snipped. "The offspring represents my house. He's the future and needs to you know, not muck up time and be a good Time Lord. Romana would undoubtedly revoke my TARDIS license if I -"

"Doctor," Rose warned.

"Yes, he's an acceptable offspring, doing well at school and all that rubbish," he admitted, shoving one hand in his pocket and looking out across the gardens as if he expected an alien invasion to blow up something and save him from this very domestic situation.

Rose watched the boy as he focused on his tablet. "But is he okay?" she asked in a soft concerned voice.

The Doctor shifted from foot to foot. This whole thing made him itchy and nervous. He could already feel Rose getting all soft and attached and she hadn't even met the boy yet. It was a difficult thing for him to reconcile himself to, her need to know this boy and to extend love to him with barely any knowledge about him. But then, he mused, that was his Rose.

After everything they'd been through recently, he knew she needed this - how this child bound them together in ways he hadn't thought of before. He realized watching her observing their offspring was like watching her see an alien landscape for the first time. A warmth spread through him as he finally made peace with this need and maybe he felt a little of it himself. Not, that he would ever admit it.

Rose's brow furrowed. The Doctor looked out at what had captured her attention. It was the Corsair, striding confidently toward their son. He was freshly dressed in his finest blue coat and wearing a black three point hat with matching feathers. His boots were shined and he looked quite the rogue. The Doctor suddenly had a bad feeling as he and Rose moved closer to the boy to find out what business the Corsair had with their Time Teen.

"There you are little time scamp you!" the Corsair bellowed out with a huge smile. He looked over toward where Rose stood and winked before turning back to Tyler.

"I've got you all sorted out, my boy! Those stuck up pain the arses shouldn't mess with you again," he said jovially. The boy stood up, his scarlet robes hanging loosely off his long lanky frame.

"Lord Corsair, your intervention was quite unnecessary. I was more than capable of extricating myself from the unpleasant and quite erroneous taunting and hurling of insults of the other students," he informed the Corsair imperiously.

"Lad, you weren't getting out of there in one piece physically or telepathically and you've got the bruises to prove it. You're lucky you're your mum and dad's kid. It was the only thing keeping your mind from being shredded! And why in the Perseus Nebula did you just stand there and let them!" The Corsair lectured after having seen a recording of the event in question.

The boy sighed as if the Corsair was a burden he must bear. "Lord Corsair, they are my upper classmates. It would show weakness to run away and give them an impression that I am as deviant and deficient as…." He trailed off as his eyes lit on the Doctor.

He straightened and did his best to look down his nose at his father. "Doctor," he said formally. "Greetings. How unexpected it is to see you at this point in my education. One might have assumed you would not feel the need to review my progress for another decade at the very least."

Rose watched this exchange, both fascinated and a little annoyed. Apparently, her son was being tormented and mistreated solely due to his parents standing as renegades. Having grown up on an estate in less than ideal economic circumstances, Rose understood all too well what it was like to have to stand up for yourself amongst those who tried to intimidate and bully.

The Doctor immediately tensed and scowled, shoving his hands in his pockets again and felt himself rankle at the boy's attitude. This was why he avoided interaction with offspring. Rude, ungrateful children attempting to snub him was not his idea of fun.

"Tyler. I see you haven't changed a bit. Still the same conceited, arrogant child I loomed. By the way, this is your mum. Try and be civil." The Doctor glared at the child for good measure.

Rose ignored the tension between the two, stepped forward biting her lip nervously. Tyler's face relaxed from the haughty imperious preteen disparaging his father as he took her in. He looked to be about thirteen Earth years old and stood almost as tall as Rose. The Doctor had told her time passed different on Gallifrey. That meant he had already spent five years at the academy.

The two of them stood and stared at one another and then Rose smiled at him. "Hello, Tyler. I'm pleased to finally meet you. Sorry I wasn't here when you were loomed. Your Dad sort of got it into his head to do it on his own."

Tyler stared at her, a look of awe in his eyes. "You're not what I expected," was what he finally breathed out. He took a few steps forward gazing at her but not at her face so much as her essence.

Rose smiled brighter as she felt his mind tentatively reach out toward her. "It's okay. I know I'm a bit different. I know what the Time Lords think of me."

Tyler focused on her. "They are fearful and in awe. Time loves you," he said softly. "It's like a great symphony." He blinked a few times, reached out and laid a hand on her arm and jerked it away. "I saw you once. It was…."

An alarm sounded on a device in the Corsair's pocket. "And that's our cue to take off!"

Rose looked up at the Doctor and he scowled knowing they would not be leaving alone.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! I suppose I should apologize now for the rather open end of this but I was hoping people would enjoy another story that explores a bit more of this family dynamic and the trouble that might follow all of them and especially Tyler. This story really was about how Dark Ten and Rose build their family. And, I do see that family expanding in their own unique way. Thank you so much for reading and for your comments as I posted.
> 
> Shout out to Littlewhomouse and Whoinwhoville who were wonderfully supportive. Extra special hugs for Littlewhomouse who helped plot this with me and suggested the rather evil end of this story ;)

"Bloody security picked us up didn't they!" the Doctor groused, scanning the gardens, looking for guards zeroing in on them.

"Fraid so my friend. We are outside the approved landing site and the Flower here already was setting them on edge wandering around the grounds. The lovely Romana could only kept the arseholes at the CIA busy for a few minutes so we could enjoy us a quick visit with the boy. We're lucky we got that given the cranky looks they gave us when we turned over that slimy bilge rat, the Master." The alarm on his wrist beeped louder. The Corsair looked down and quirked a smile "I do believe it's time for us to hoist our sails before those pompous fun sucking security guards show up!" the Corsair announced with a bit too much zest.

Rose kept her eyes on Tyler as the Corsair and the Doctor talked. Tyler furrowed his brow as he looked from the Corsair to the Doctor attempting to make sense out of their banter. She smiled softly at her confused son. She knew what she wanted to happen. When she looked over at the Doctor, he scowled at her and felt a growling telepathic _no_. She felt Tyler's gaze on her and turned to him.

"I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you so much."

"Why don't we just take him with us?" Corsair asked, a twinkle in his eyes and knowing the Doctor was quite opposed to this idea. "Wouldn't be the first time we've stolen something off of Gallifrey.

"Absolutely not!" the Doctor shouted, his eyes narrowing on the Corsair.

"Oh come on, you old stick in the mud!" the Corsair teased. "Give the boy a little taste! One night out and then we return junior here right back into the boring halls of school with a few stories to tell his mates! He'd barely be missed and it's not like he isn't already a pain in the arse to his teachers from what I hear."

The Doctor glared at his son who looked back at him rebelliously. "I only inform them when they are wrong."

Rose gazed down at the boy with pride and wanted to encourage this fire and confidence. She knew the Doctor didn't want to, but… something inside of her said this was important.

"I don't want to cause you any trouble and school is important but...there's a whole universe out there. I know they try and tell you everything revolves around Gallifrey and part of that might be true. But wouldn't you like a glimpse? The Corsair's right, we can get you back in a few hours. That's what the TARDIS is for."

"You have your own TARDIS," he breathed, looking at Rose with even more awe.

"No, no, no! This is bad with a capital B," the Doctor insisted, gesturing with his hands in emphasis. He did not like how the three of them were turning against him. Rose walked over to him and curled into his side, gazing up at him in a warm way that picked away at his stubborn determination to leave his son behind.

"It's only for a few hours and then we sneak him back. It's not like you haven't snuck in and out of more secure places," she cajoled, caressing his arm and bumping his shoulder with her head.

The Corsair jaunted over. "A challenge just like that time we knicked the Sash of Rassilon in that bet with old Lord Krantholianik. Come on, give the kid some inspiration!"

Guards started to run towards them shouting out _Halt, Cease and Desist in the name of Gallifrey_.

The Doctor cursed and sighed, looking at Rose with that tongue teasing smile and pleading look in her eyes. He squeezed is eyes shut and groaned. "Fine!" Then he looked over at the boy and waved a warning finger at him. "Run and you better keep up 'cos we're not waiting on you!"

A grin lit the boy's face; his green eyes sparkled with anticipation not unlike his mother. The four dashed out of the gardens, in and around the city, avoiding lock downs, guards and barriers.

When they reached the room where the CIA had secured their TARDISes, the Corsair created a diversion that drew out most of the guards. Only two were left behind.

Rose walked in and smiled brightly at the guards. They looked at her suspiciously and aimed stunning batons at her until the batons exploded in their hands, at which point the Corsair and Doctor stormed in grabbed them and tossed them out the door, shutting the door behind them and fusing it shut with their sonics as a stunned Tyler watched in fascinated horror.

"But you can't do that! It's illegal!" he gasped, holding his tablet protectively against his chest and standing as tall and defiant as he could.

"Welcome to the family, my boy!" the Corsair shouted out in glee and slapped him on the back causing him to jolt a few steps sideways. Rose put her arm around the stunned and perturbed young man and guided him into the TARDIS. The plan was to meet up with the Corsair at the Black Balhoon.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

It was the longest trip of the Doctor's not so insubstantial life. He stormed out as soon as they landed after listening to his son hurl insult after insult about his TARDIS. It took every bit of self-control he had along with a few pointed looks from Rose and a promise for post trip shower sex to prevent him from tossing the mouthy offspring into the Vortex.

His son, who he now referred to as that ungrateful recipient of my superior genetics (or time brat for short), complained about everything. In his scarlet school robes, Tyler walked around the Console room, poking at things, examining equipment and scrutinized every nook and cranny. It was as if his eyes were open for the first time and his Time Lord mind assessed, analysed and felt the need to comment and critique everything from the Doctor's configuration of the temporal flux regulator, to how old and inferior the TARDIS was compared to a Type 140; his father's mechanical skills at maintaining his beloved ship and about how he knew the Doctor never passed his TARDIS piloting test and wasn't the flashing light on the console a temporal implosion indicator; and perhaps it was time to retrofit the artron coils.

Rose had stood off to the side watching father and son snip, argue, circle each other and generally butt heads over everything. She winced a few times on behalf of the TARDIS after her son rendered a few more unkind observations and opinions.

She did her best to soothe the old girl for some of the more insulting and cutting quips uttered by the boy. He was definitely his father's son, Rose mused, with the way his mouth ran on and he babbled about technical details and theories she could barely comprehend. Of course, the Doctor spent the entire time he was not retorting or muttering curses about progeny, tense, glaring and thinking some rather violent thoughts.

Rose had quickly distracted him with a few telepathic images of him shoved naked against the blue tiled shower with her gripping his hips and her mouth enveloping him and making his toes curl as the water beat down around them. He had shifted next to her at the console, adjusting his tie and leaned down to whisper in her ear that it would take a lot more than naughty shower time to make up for putting up with the time brat. He may have suggested banana flavoured oil and a little quality time in the zero gravity room along with tying her up in ribbons of silk in said room.

By the time they landed, she was so busy thinking of about silk ties she barely heard Tyler asking her why the pilot seats were so squeaky and worn. She had blushed as he leaned over picking at the duct tape and told him he'd understand when he was older. After the barrage of questions during their journey, she was relieved they had mercifully landed before he asked any further questions. She quickly ushered him out the door and hoped the alien bar would distract him. Being a mum was a new thing and she wasn't quite prepared for what she was sure would be some Time Lord scientific discussion regarding sex and mating habits.

They burst through the doors at the Balhoon entering the noisy raucous bar. It was just as Rose remembered it – dimly lit with flickering yellow lights, an alien playing a fiddle in the corner, the air scented with various alcoholic concoctions mixed with smoke and that intangible alien scent. Tyler's mouth gaped at the bar packed with a variety of aliens from all parts of the universe.

The Corsair led them through squeezing their way amongst Raxicorifallapatorians, Silurians, Sontarans, Crespallion, Cheem and dozens more. The boy's mouth gaped as he bumped into some of the bar patrons, a few of which snarled, growled or cursed at him. He'd never actually seen such a wide variety of different species drinking together, playing some form of cards, laughing and shoving each other in some apparent ritualistic form of entertainment. It opened his eyes beyond the academic world, the only thing he had known thus far.

As the Corsair led them to a back corner at a beat up and slightly sticky round table, the Doctor made his way to the bar, wasting no time ordering a drink. The Corsair shoved Tyler down into a chair as Rose pulled her chair up close to his, feeling protective of the boy who hadn't said a word since they arrived. He was a bit too quiet.

A blue skinned waitress with an elegant long tail arrived to take their orders, her dark eyes and bright smile aimed at the Corsair who winked at her. He ordered Rose, her favoured, Toral Brandy and her son an ale. Rose shot the Corsair a warning look. Superior Time Lord biology or not, he was just a kid. Being in an alien pub was enough of a shock to his system. She asked the Corsair for the alien version of a Shirley Temple. The Doctor snorted and muttered a curse into his drink as he collapsed into a chair beside Rose, his blue cocktail spilling onto the table.

The Corsair shouted out to the waitress to change out the ale for a Galaxy Guzzler. As Tyler sat beside Rose looking around at people drinking, playing illicit games and arguing over a variety of topics, she felt a chill creep down her spine. It was a feeling she'd had on the planet with the Master, as if something was prickling on her timeline.

Looking around the bar, her eyes lit on a grey haired man, sipping from a tankard at the long wooden bar across the room. He wasn't out of the ordinary, just another patron in the crowded pub. However, Rose knew looks could be deceiving and focused some of her more unusual senses on him, trying to suss him out as people moved back and forth across the bar. In the background, she heard the Doctor and Corsair laughing and telling some embarrassing story whilst her son stared at them in horror.

Rose continued to peer around people who blocked the man from her line of sight, trying to focus and then the man turned to her. A sudden sharp pain hit her between the eyes. She rubbed her forehead with her hand the Doctor shot to her side.

"Rose?" he asked with worry, cupping her cheek and peering at her, examining her for damage and finding something off. He had made sure Rose had iron clad telepathic barriers and yet something had knocked through them yet again. She wasn't hurt but shaken up. She looked up at him. He cradled her face in his hands and her son looked at her curiously as the waitress dropped off their drinks. He sipped a frothy glowing green drink placed before him, his nose wrinkling as he smacked his lips at the sweet and sour taste of the fizzy drink.

"Rose?" the Doctor asked again as she stared at his chest, the room slightly out of focus.

She shook it off and bumped her head against the Doctor's forehead, smiling slightly. "I'm okay."

He looked at her concerned and leaned into her ear. "We'll talk about it later. If it happens again though, we're leaving." He leaned back and looked suspiciously at the crowd. His glance never lingered on the grey haired man at the bar who sat sipping his drink and smiling. It was as if the Doctor looked everywhere but at the man.

Rose turned away, hoping that the niggling feeling she had was wrong. She was with the Doctor and Corsair. Nothing could harm her as long as they were there, as long as she and the Doctor were together. After shutting her eyes and letting a breath out, she leaned into her son with a smile. "You okay, Tyler?"

He looked at her as if analysing her. "Something just happened to you and you misrepresented your condition to the Doctor. I do not understand. It is not logical nor will it solve your obvious physical discomfort," he said formally although there was concern reflected in his eyes.

Rose smiled softly. He really didn't understand. "Sometimes it's better to choose a time and place for discussions. This bar isn't the best place."

He furrowed his brow and then nodded. He looked down at his fizzing drink and then back at Rose, his eyes widened as he stared at her. She looked into his green eyes and a connection formed between them. It was an odd sensation to Rose. It wasn't that he was in her mind nor was it like her bond with the Doctor. It was just a brush against her mind, like a hand shake or hello we are related.

"What do you think you're doing?" the Doctor shouted at him, slamming his drink down on the table, his eyes narrowing on his son.

The boy blinked and looked over at him looking confused. "Nothing," he mumbled.

The Doctor's eyes darkened and his whole body tensed. "Leave her be," he warned in a soft hard voice.

The boy nodded, sipped his drink and looked down at the table as if deep in thought.

"What?" Rose asked, turning towards the Doctor worried, perturbed at him for once again chastising their son.

"He was invading your privacy and he knows better. It's one of the first things we're taught at the Academy, respect a person's privacy as to mind and timeline. No unauthorized wandering about much less initiating connections. I should report him!"

"You will not!" Rose admonished. "And when you gonna do that anyway? When you drop him off from our little adventure right before they arrest you?" she asked sarcastically with an arched brow.

The Doctor huffed and gulped some of this drink. "Just keeping you safe and him on the straight and narrow," he grumbled, shooting the boy another chastising look and then turned to the Corsair to complain about disrespectful youth.

Rose rolled her eyes and smiled at her son, reaching across the table to grasp his hand. "It's okay. I know you're curious."

The boy stared at her and the way his hand fit in hers before sliding his hand away. "My apologies if I have intruded. It's just…you are different and I thought I saw…"

"What?" Rose asked curious now.

Before the boy could continue, he looked up in shock. Rose looked over to see what he was staring at. It was the grey haired man, in dark robes. He smiled as he stepped closer to their table, his light blue eyes almost hypnotic as Rose looked up at him.

"What is the school janitor doing here? Confusatenebris?" the boy asked in shock.

Rose felt the noise of the bar muffled and a sick feeling enveloped her. The Doctor and Corsair were chatting as if they didn't see this man standing there, lost in their own conversation. This was wrong. The grey haired man winked at her and ruffled her son's hair.

"Tyler! If it isn't the Academy's own progeny of the Oncoming Storm himself." He slyly looked at Rose. "And his golden wolf." He paused as Rose felt a need to grab her son and run. "Why, I'm just out on a bit of a walk about like you, getting a taste of the universe and breaking the routine to enjoy all this turmoil and anarchy." He leaned down. "It's good to expose a young impressionable mind to all that's possible." He turned to Rose. "Don't you think so Uncommon Rose? Everyone needs a little chaos in their life."

Rose couldn't move. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her fingers gripped the table as the elderly man adjusted his black cloak over his head in a way she knew all too well having seen it reflected in a mirror and on the planet with the Master.

She tried to speak, to call out to the Doctor, but her lips wouldn't move and even her bond to the Doctor felt sluggish. Her son seemed equally transfixed by whoever or whatever this cloaked figure was.

A horrible feeling filled her as she watched this figure around her son. They had been so terribly wrong. It wasn't about the Master, Corsair or them. Tears welled up in her eyes as she felt maternal instincts clawing at her, to shove this thing away from her son. She struggled to shout, "No!" as this man lingered, almost licking his lips as he gazed at the boy who seemed frozen, his eyes wide.

The Doctor finally picked up something was wrong and called out to her, but she could barely hear him and he seemed oblivious to this creature standing near her son.

The man leaned over and patted her son's shoulder. "I'll be seeing you around, little storm."

"I am not a little storm," the boy finally grumbled.

The cloaked man chuckled. "Quite right. You will be something much greater." He walked away laughing in a way that ran a chill straight through Rose.

A bottle shattered breaking her out of whatever time spell she'd been in and the bar erupted in chaos. She looked at her son who appeared dazed. The words the man said became foggy in her mind and she struggled to cling to them and tuck them away safe in her memory.

"Rose!" the Doctor shouted and shook her by her shoulders. "We have to leave!" Rose nodded and reached for her son's hand. He blinked at her still recovering from whatever happened to them and grasped her hand firmly. In their usual fashion when visiting Balhoon, the group ran from the bar and into their respective TARDIses.

Rose paused on the ramp, zipping up her jacket, and watched her son who stared at the time rotor. He slowly paced around it, his mood sombre and far quieter than during his trip to the Balhoon.

The Doctor shot her worried looks and eventually she walked over to him and curled up into his side. Her memories of the Balhoon were jumbled, but she could almost hear elusive words whispered in the depths of her mind. They were important and whatever was whispered, she knew it was bad.

She bumped her head against the Doctor's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. They'd escaped trouble this time but something was still out there and whatever it was, it had its eyes on her family.


End file.
